An Overview of Porous TiNi (PTN) As a Candidate for Orthopedic Material

The application of porous TiNi (PTN) made by combustion synthesis to the orthopedic market is studied. The elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and strain at failure were found to be 1.6 GPa, 30 MPa, and 8.5% respectively, highly compatible with bone.  Moreover, the elastic modulus can be altered between 0.5 to 3.0 PGa while maintaining a relatively constant porosity of about 60%, allowing users to tailor PTN to specific clinical needs.  CT Imaging compatibility was also assessed, with PTN exhibiting both high visibility and negligible flaring compared to porous tantalum.  Perhaps most remarkable, however, is the unique and dramatic “wicking” behavior of PTN when compared to other porous orthopedic materials: within 10 minutes of the contact, PTN wicked 3.15 ml of water, which equates to 91% of the open volume.  In contrast, porous Ti and Ta wicked 24% and 0.9% of open volume within the same time frame.