Enhancement of the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline titanium by low-temperature annealing

Abstract Annealing deformed metals usually leads to reduced strength. In the case of nanocrystalline materials, the opposite effect was observed after low-temperature annealing. The annihilation of mobile dislocations and a relaxation of grain boundaries are probable reasons for the observed phenomenon. Dislocation density and grain boundaries character affect also on the corrosion resistance. Hence, in this work the effect of low-temperature annealing on both the hardness and corrosion resistance of nanotitanium was investigated. The results indicated that low-temperature annealing is a fast, simple and inexpensive way to further enhance nanotitanium's mechanical and corrosion properties, which are crucial for implantable materials.