Analysis for Fabrication Conditions of Scalpel with Ti47Cu38Zr7.5Fe2.5Sn2Si1Ag2 Bulk Metallic Glass Alloys

This study investigated the manufacturing conditions and properties of Ti47Cu38Zr7.5Fe2.5Sn2Si1Ag2 amorphous bulk metallic glass (BMG) to examine its applicability for scalpels for medical use. Ti-base BMG alloys have excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, making them a suitable scalpel material. In this study, a vacuum suction casting method was used to manufacture a BMG alloy scalpel. After examining various manufacturing conditions, to successfully suppress the occurrence of pores and manufacture a BMG with excellent shape the optimal conditions were determined to be 236 A of arc current, 20 s of melting time, 2 s of suction time, 10°C of coolant temperature, and -0.1 MPa of suction pressure. XRD analysis confirmed that the Ti-base BMG had a completely amorphous structure. Vickers hardness measurements showed that the Ti47Cu38Zr7.5Fe2.5Sn2Si1Ag2 amorphous bulk metal material (BMG) scalpel had a hardness of 781 Hv, and was superior to a commercial stainless steel (SUS) scalpel in terms of durability. In the pork skin cutting tests, the Ti-base BMG scalpel maintained its edge without chipping, while the SUS scalpel showed chipping and an uneven cutting surface. These research results suggest that Ti-based BMG can provide better high-strength performance and durability than commercial SUS scalpels, and demonstrate its potential for application as a medical tool. However, bulk amorphous alloys with excellent glass formability (GFA) still require a detailed study of the optimal fabrication conditions to avoid pores and defects.