title: High hardness in the biocompatible intermetallic compound β-Ti3Au.
abstract: The search for new hard materials is often challenging, but strongly motivated by the vast application potential such materials hold. Ti3Au exhibits high hardness values (about four times those of pure Ti and most steel alloys), reduced coefficient of friction and wear rates, and biocompatibility, all of which are optimal traits for orthopedic, dental, and prosthetic applications. In addition, the ability of this compound to adhere to ceramic parts can reduce both the weight and the cost of medical components. The fourfold increase in the hardness of Ti3Au compared to other Ti-Au alloys and compounds can be attributed to the elevated valence electron density, the reduced bond length, and the pseudogap formation. Understanding the origin of hardness in this intermetallic compound provides an avenue toward designing superior biocompatible, hard materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Eteri
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2893-1379
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Svanidze
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA.
authors.forename: Tiglet
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2143-2254
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Besara
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: M Fevsi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ozaydin
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Chandra Sekhar
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tiwary
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Jiakui K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Sruthi
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9459-7597
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Radhakrishnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Sendurai
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5918-4276
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mani
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9291-5061
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2988-8854
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5368-1442
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siegrist
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Pulickel M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ajayan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.; Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morosan
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003722:Dental Alloys; C416206:gold-titanium alloy
keywords: Biocompatible alloys; coefficient of friction; elevated electron density; gold alloys; hardness; medical applications; metals; pseudogap; titanium alloys; titanium gold alloys