MATERIAL FOR ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANT OF ZRNBTA-ZROTYPE AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING THE SAME

The invention relates to a material for orthopedic implants of the metal-ceramic type, ZrNbTa-ZrO, intended for applications in orthopedic surgery, such as the total or partial replacement of joints or fixation of fractures. According to the invention, the material consists of a ternary alloy of the type ZrNbTa (ZrNbTa) comprising the following starting materials: a mixture of powders of Zr, Nb and Ta of high purity (>99%), with a content of 78% Nb powder and 12% Ta powder, homogenized and then pressed at 400 kgf/cmfor 10...20 min, which are ground as grains having the average size of 0.8...1.2 mm, the powder mixture being then subjected to a repeated induction melting-cooling, the resulting alloy being subjected to a heat treatment which starts from the ambient temperature, with a temperature increase of 80°C, where the temperature is maintained constant for 3 hours, followed by a gradual cooling for 15 hours, at a temperature decrease rate of 20°C per hour, while the other physical and chemical characteristics of the material are: the corrosion rate of 2.18 μ m/year in Hank solution, the Vickers microhardness of 937 HV and the surface wettability - contact angle value of 56.16°.