Investigation of the Bioactivity Properties of TiZrCrNb0.3Ta0.07 Medium Entropy Alloy Produced from TNTZ Waste

High entropy alloys (HEAs) and medium entropy alloys (MEAs) have garnered significant attention as alternative materials in various fields due to their superior physical and chemical properties compared to conventional alloys. One of the most promising applications of this innovative material class is in biomaterials. In this study, a bio-medium entropy alloy (BioMEA), TiZrCrNb0.25Ta0.05, was successfully synthesized using non-toxic elements (Ti, Zr, Cr, Nb and Ta) through arc melting of TNTZ alloy waste. The produced BioMEA was comprehensively characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to analyze its structural and chemical properties. Additionally, the in-vitro degradation, ion release, and bioactivity properties of the alloy were evaluated and compared with those of the conventional TNTZ alloy, with a focus on the effects of heat treatment. The results demonstrated that heat treatment did not cause significant changes in the microstructure of the TiZrCrNb0.25Ta0.05 alloy but led to the formation of intermetallic compounds such as Cr2Zr and Cr2Ta on the surface. Degradation tests revealed an unexpected mass gain across all sample groups after a four-week immersion period due to surface precipitation, surpassing the expected mass loss from degradation. Ion release analyses showed similar behavior between the TiZrCrNb0.25Ta0.05 and TNTZ alloys, with ion release levels in the ppb range, confirming that Ti was released at non-toxic levels. Bioactivity tests identified low lesvels of Ca-P-O deposition on all sample surfaces, with the highest bioactivity observed in the heat-treated TiZrCrNb0.25Ta0.05 sample. Overall, the findings suggest that the TiZrCrNb0.25Ta0.05 alloy has the potential to serve as an alternative biomaterial to the TNTZ alloy, with its bioactivity properties being further enhanced through heat treatment. Further studies are recommended to optimize its bioactivity and evaluate its in-vivo performance for biomedical applications.