Medical bone-fixation implants, such as plates and screws used to repair complex skeletal fractures, can be manufactured from titanium alloys or stainless steel.
Properties of Titanium Alloy and Stainless Steel
| Property | Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) | Stainless Steel (Grade 316) |
|---|---|---|
| Density (g/cm3g/cm^3g/cm3) | 4.4 | 8.0 |
| Tensile strength (MPaMPaMPa) | 950 | 580 |
| Corrosion resistance in physiological fluids | Outstanding (inert oxide layer) | Moderate (susceptible to localized pitting) |
| Relative cost per kg (arbitrary units) | 120 | 15 |
The higher the value for tensile strength, the more load-bearing stress the material can withstand before plastic deformation or failure. Alloys are generally much stronger than pure metals because of their disrupted structure, as shown in the diagram.
Evaluate the use of titanium alloy and stainless steel for making medical bone-fixation implants. Use information from the table and the diagram to support your answer.
How bonding and structure are related to the properties of substances Questions
Practise AQA GCSE Chemistry How bonding and structure are related to the properties of substances with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 14 questions covering The three states of matter, State symbols, Properties of ionic compounds, Properties of small molecules, Polymers, Giant covalent structures, Properties of metals and alloys, and Metals as conductors, matched to the AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.