Physicists at Rice University in Houston, Texas, have published a study on a new titanium and gold alloy that is not only significantly harder than most grades of steal as well as titanium alone, but also wear-resistant and highly bio-compatible.
While easy to create, the researchers say the materialÂ’s almost pure crystalline structure makes is surprisingly hard to destroy. During an experiment on a number of titanium/gold alloys, the team found the titanium-3-gold alloy resistant to even its hardest grinding equipment.
The obvious application of the alloy, researchers say, is for biomedical implants, where bio-compatibility and wear resistance are key. Working in conjunction with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the team determined that the new alloy was even more bio-compatible than pure titanium, as well as more wear resistance.