Corrosion-fatigue of laser-repaired commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy under different test environments.

This study evaluated the corrosion-fatigue life of laser-repaired specimens fabricated from commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloy, tested under different storage conditions. For each metal, 30 dumbbell rods with a central 2.3 mm diameter were prepared by lost-wax casting with the Rematitan System. Simulating the failure after service, corrosion-fatigue life in different media at room temperature (air, synthetic saliva and fluoride synthetic saliva) was determined at a testing frequency of 10 Hz for intact specimens and after laser repairing, using a square waveform with equal maximum tensile and compressive stress that was 30% lower than the 0.2% offset yield strength. For laser welding, the fractured specimens were rejoined using a jig to align the sections invested in type-IV dental stone. The adjacent areas of the gap was air-abraded with 100 microm aluminum oxide, laser welded and retested under the same conditions as the initial intact specimens. The number of cycles at failure was recorded, and the fracture surface was examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The number of cycles for failure of the welded and intact specimens was compared by anova and the Tukey test at a 5% probability level. Within the limitations of this study, the number of cycles required for fracture decreased in wet environments and the laser repairing process adversely affected the life of both metals under the corrosion-fatigue conditions.

Corrosion-fatigue life of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloys in different storage environments.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Removable partial dentures are affected by fatigue because of the cyclic mechanism of the masticatory system and frequent insertion and removal. Titanium and its alloys have been used in the manufacture of denture frameworks; however, preventive agents with fluorides are thought to attack titanium alloy surfaces. PURPOSE: This study evaluated, compared, and analyzed the corrosion-fatigue life of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy in different storage environments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For each metal, 33 dumbbell rods, 2.3 mm in diameter at the central segment, were cast in the Rematitan system. Corrosion-fatigue strength test was carried out through a universal testing machine with a load 30% lower than the 0.2% offset yield strength and a combined influence of different environments: in air at room temperature, with synthetic saliva, and with fluoride synthetic saliva. After failure, the number of cycles were recorded, and fracture surfaces were examined with an SEM. RESULTS: ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison test indicated that Ti-6Al-4V alloy achieved 21,269 cycles (SD = 8,355) against 19,157 cycles (SD = 3, 624) for the commercially pure Ti. There were no significant differences between either metal in the corrosion-fatigue life for dry specimens, but when the solutions were present, the fatigue life was significantly reduced, probably because of the production of corrosion pits caused by superficial reactions.