Effects of Al2O3 Nanopowders on the Wear Behavior of NiTi Shape Memory Alloys

Abstract

TiNi shape memory alloy and its composite using delta-Al2O3 nanosize particles were prepared by the powder metallurgy method, and some mechanical properties like hardness, wear, and corrosion behavior were investigated. The experimental results exhibited that the lower wear rate was obtained for the nano-Al2O3-reinforced Ti alloy composite due to increased hardness, but the wear rate increased considerably with increasing the load over 25 N for Ti alloy. However, the best corrosion resistance was obtained for the base alloy, which is very important for implant applications.