From Machining Waste to Advanced Implants: Recycled Ti/GO Composite with Improved Mechanical Properties for Orthopedic Applications

Mahdavinejad, Ramezanali; Hosseininasab, Sayyed Hossein; Sedehi, Sayyed Mohammadreza

doi:10.30501/acp.2026.586725.1199

From Machining Waste to Advanced Implants: Recycled Ti/GO Composite with Improved Mechanical Properties for Orthopedic Applications

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Ramezanali Mahdavinejad ¹

Sayyed Hossein Hosseininasab ²

Sayyed Mohammadreza Sedehi ³

¹ Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² MSc student, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

³ PhD student, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.30501/acp.2026.586725.1199

Abstract

This study introduces a novel strategy for recycling titanium machining chips through powder metallurgy combined with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles, enabling the fabrication of biocompatible implants with enhanced mechanical strength and resistance properties. The process involves converting machining chips into powder using ball mill grinding, followed by the fabrication of recycled samples through spark plasma sintering (SPS). Furthermore, the investigation explores the fabrication of a composite by combining recycled titanium powder with 0.2% graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. In this research, three distinct samples are examined: pure titanium, recycled titanium, and a titanium/graphene oxide composite. Characterization of the samples is accomplished using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the properties, including hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, are investigated. The hardness test revealed that pure titanium had the lowest hardness, at 322 HV. The recycled sample exhibited a 17% increase, reaching 378 HV, while the composite sample exhibited a 25% increase, reaching 402 HV. The wear resistance test showed that the pure titanium specimen, recycled titanium sample, and composite sample had mass losses of 17.98, 11.77, and 0.86 mg, respectively. The corrosion test results indicated that pure titanium had a corrosion rate of 0.0022 mm/year, while the recycled titanium sample had a corrosion rate of 0.00156 mm/year. The composite specimen had the lowest corrosion rate, at 0.00012 mm/year. The findings indicate that this recycling process not only facilitates the reuse of industrial waste but also, by enhancing mechanical and resistance properties, constitutes an effective step toward the development of high-performance medical implants.

Keywords

Titanium

Recycling

Chip

Spark Plasma Sintering

Graphene Oxide

Subjects

ceramic

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