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| Materials | Elastic modulus (GPa) | Yield strength (MPa) | Ultimate strength (MPa) | Corrosive resistance | Advantages | Drawbacks |
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| Stainless steel [6] | 200 | 215 MPa | 505 MPa | Corrosive resistance due to high Cr content | Formation of a film of chromium oxide on the surface of the steel at a molecular level, which is passive, adhesive, tenacious, and self-healing | Large amount of wear debris, poor wear resistance, worse corrosion resistance, and dangerous allergic reaction appears in a high number of patients |
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| Titanium and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) [6, 7] | 110–119 | 850–900 | 960–970 | Stable oxide layer (Titania–TiO2) on the titanium surface (2 nm thick) | High mechanical strength, superior biocompatibility, corrosion and wear resistance, rapid osseointegration, enhanced osteoblast adhesion, and complete inertness to body environment | Potential toxicity to vanadium |
|
| Cobalt-chrome (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys [6] | 220–230 | 275–1585 | 600–1785 | Excellent, even in Cl− environments | Highly resistant to corrosion even in chloride environment due to spontaneous formation of passive oxide layer within the human body environment | The corrosion products of Co-Cr-Mo are more toxic than those of stainless steel 316 L (Ni, Cr, and Co) |
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| Unalloyed tantalum [8, 9] | 186 | 138–345 | 207–517 | Highly corrosive resistance | High yield and ultimate strength, good bone-bonding | Long term data not yet available |
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| Porous tantalum [8, 9] | 2.5–3.9 | 35–51 | 50–110 | Highly corrosive resistance | Young’s modulus similar to subchondral bone with ten times yield and ultimate strength, usually used as coating of trabecular metal, good biocompatibility of tantalum, and titanium | Long term data not yet available |
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