Reactive metals and their alloys are used in a variety ofbiomedical applications from pace makers to hips implants. This newASTM publication provides the latest developments on these alloys,their processing techniques for medical applications,characterization of fundamental materials properties critical totheir use for biomedical applications, and evaluation of biologicaland clinical performance.

Eighteen peer-reviewed papers cover:

Alloy Processing—includes information on the formulationand processing of five important, new implantable metallicbiomaterials:
• Ti-12Mo-6Zr-2Fe alloy ("TMZF")
• Zr-2.5Nb alloy ("Oxidized Zirconium", "Oxinium")
• Tantalum foam ("Trabecular Metal")
• Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloy ("TiOsteum")
• Ti-15Mo alloy

Alloy Properties—focuses on the bulk and surfaceproperties, especially stress corrosion cracking and fatigue, of anumber of different titanium alloys, which may be used forimplants. Additional information is provided on the fracturemechanisms of several of these alloys.

Biological and Clinical Evaluation—deals with thebiological and clinical evaluation of titanium, niobium, zirconiumand tantalum used in the medical and surgical setting, including anew method of grit-blasting for implant surfaces, clinicalevaluation of 14 retrieved modular body (SROM) total hip stemsremoved at the time of revision surgery, and a practicalmethodology to generate titanium and stainless steel wear debrisparticles for use in further study of the process of osteolysis andits treatment.