O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar comparativamente a estabilidade primária e a longevidade de implantes de zircônia (Y-TZP) e titânio (Grau IV) após ciclagem termomecânica (CTM). Foram obtidos 40 implantes de cada material que foram instalados em osso artificial e separados em grupos (n=10) segundo o material, a realização de ciclagem termomecânica e o ensaio realizado: Titânio - G1 (ensaio de torque de remoção); G2 (ensaio de arrancamento); G3 (CTM + ensaio de torque de remoção); G4 (CFTM + ensaio de arrancamento); e Zircônia - G5 (ensaio de torque de remoção); G6 (ensaio de arrancamento); G7 (CTM + ensaio de torque de remoção); G8 (CTM + ensaio de arrancamento). O equipamento de ciclagem mecânica foi configurado com carga de 133 N, frequência de 120 ciclos por minuto (2 Hz), totalizando 2.000.000 ciclos em cada espécime. A ciclagem térmica foi realizada com temperatura entre 5ºC, 37ºC e 55ºC. Após os ensaios mecânicos, os resultados foram submetidos à análise estatística (2-way ANOVA, teste de Bonferroni, p<0,05) e verificou-se que houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) entre os implantes de titânio e zircônia, independente do tratamento utilizado, tanto para o torque de remoção quanto para a foça máxima de arrancamento. Os implantes de titânio mostraram maiores valores de torque de remoção e força de arrancamento comparado aos implantes de zircônia (p<0,05). Verificou-se também que a ciclagem termomecânica foi significante apenas para o ensaio de arrancamento quando utilizados implantes de titânio. Conclui-se que a estabilidade primária de implantes de titânio foi maior do que implantes de zircônia e que a ciclagem termomecânica foi um fator significativo apenas para a longevidade dos implantes de titânio. / The aim of this study was to assess comparatively the primary stability and longevity of zirconia (Y-TZP) and titanium (Grade IV) implants after thermomechanical cyclic (CTF). Forty implants to each material were obtained, installed in artificial bone and separated into groups (n=10) according to the material, the conducting of thermomechanical cyclic and the test submitted: Titanium - G1 (removal torque); G2 (pullout test); G3 (CTF + removal torque); G4 (TCF + pullout test); Zirconia - G5 (removal torque); G6 (pullout test); G7 (CTF + removal torque); G8 (CTF + pullout test). The mechanical cyclic testing machine was programmed to apply a load of 133 N, frequency of 120 cycles per minute (2 Hz) and a total of 2,000,000 cycles in each specimen. The thermocycling was set with a temperature between 5°C, 37ºC and 55ºC. After the mechanical tests, the data were subjected to statistical analysis (2-way ANOVA, Bonferroni test, p <0,05) and the results showed statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between zirconia and titanium implants, regardless of treatment used, for both removal torque and pullout tests. Titanium implants showed higher removal torque and pullout strength, which was statistically significant (p <0,05) compared with zirconia implants. It was also found that the thermomechanical cyclic was only significant for pullout test when used titanium implants. It was concluded that primary stability of titanium implants is higher than zirconia implants and the thermomechanical cyclic was a significant factor only for the longevity of titanium implants.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar comparativamente a estabilidade primária e a longevidade de implantes de zircônia (Y-TZP) e titânio (Grau IV) após ciclagem termomecânica (CTM). Foram obtidos 40 implantes de cada material que foram instalados em osso artificial e separados em grupos (n=10) segundo o material, a realização de ciclagem termomecânica e o ensaio realizado: Titânio - G1 (ensaio de torque de remoção); G2 (ensaio de arrancamento); G3 (CTM + ensaio de torque de remoção); G4 (CFTM + ensaio de arrancamento); e Zircônia - G5 (ensaio de torque de remoção); G6 (ensaio de arrancamento); G7 (CTM + ensaio de torque de remoção); G8 (CTM + ensaio de arrancamento). O equipamento de ciclagem mecânica foi configurado com carga de 133 N, frequência de 120 ciclos por minuto (2 Hz), totalizando 2.000.000 ciclos em cada espécime. A ciclagem térmica foi realizada com temperatura entre 5ºC, 37ºC e 55ºC. Após os ensaios mecânicos, os resultados foram submetidos à análise estatística (2-way ANOVA, teste de Bonferroni, p<0,05) e verificou-se que houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) entre os implantes de titânio e zircônia, independente do tratamento utilizado, tanto para o torque de remoção quanto para a foça máxima de arrancamento. Os implantes de titânio mostraram maiores valores de torque de remoção e força de arrancamento comparado aos implantes de zircônia (p<0,05). Verificou-se também que a ciclagem termomecânica foi significante apenas para o ensaio de arrancamento quando utilizados implantes de titânio. Conclui-se que a estabilidade primária de implantes de titânio foi maior do que implantes de zircônia e que a ciclagem termomecânica foi um fator significativo apenas para a longevidade dos implantes de titânio. / The aim of this study was to assess comparatively the primary stability and longevity of zirconia (Y-TZP) and titanium (Grade IV) implants after thermomechanical cyclic (CTF). Forty implants to each material were obtained, installed in artificial bone and separated into groups (n=10) according to the material, the conducting of thermomechanical cyclic and the test submitted: Titanium - G1 (removal torque); G2 (pullout test); G3 (CTF + removal torque); G4 (TCF + pullout test); Zirconia - G5 (removal torque); G6 (pullout test); G7 (CTF + removal torque); G8 (CTF + pullout test). The mechanical cyclic testing machine was programmed to apply a load of 133 N, frequency of 120 cycles per minute (2 Hz) and a total of 2,000,000 cycles in each specimen. The thermocycling was set with a temperature between 5°C, 37ºC and 55ºC. After the mechanical tests, the data were subjected to statistical analysis (2-way ANOVA, Bonferroni test, p <0,05) and the results showed statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between zirconia and titanium implants, regardless of treatment used, for both removal torque and pullout tests. Titanium implants showed higher removal torque and pullout strength, which was statistically significant (p <0,05) compared with zirconia implants. It was also found that the thermomechanical cyclic was only significant for pullout test when used titanium implants. It was concluded that primary stability of titanium implants is higher than zirconia implants and the thermomechanical cyclic was a significant factor only for the longevity of titanium implants.

The main focus of this research is the transformation induced fatigue behavior of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators undergoing thermally induced martensitic phase transformation. The recent development of aerospace applications employing shape memory alloys (SMAs) has expanded the need for fatigue life characterization and modeling. Lightweight, compact and with a great work output, SMAs are ideal materials for actuated structural components. However, fatigue life becomes a key factor in applications such as commercial airplanes. Therefore, it is necessary to not only perform fatigue testing but also to investigate the causes of fatigue failure. As a new class of materials, SMAs have unique characteristics and require novel test methodologies to conduct repeatable and reliable fatigue testing. For this research, two materials are being investigated: TiNiCu and Ni-rich NiTi. The experiments performed on the first selected alloy, i.e. TiNiCu SMA, explore three major parameters: the applied stress level, the amount of actuation, and the corrosive nature of the environment. Experimental results show that SMAs undergoing transformation induced fatigue exhibit a low-cycle fatigue behavior and the measurement of the accumulated plastic strain at failure is associated to a Manson-Coffin type failure criterion. Investigations conducted on the post-mortem microstructure showed evidence of a multiphysical coupling between corrosion and cyclic phase transformation, from which a novel cyclic damage mechanism is proposed and explained using the micromechanical shear lag model accounting for actuation and accumulated plastic strains. Thereafter, based upon the identified failure mechanism and considering damage accumulation through crack formation, a stress renormalization procedure is proposed in combination with the Miner’s rule to predict the reduction of number of cycles to failure due to cyclic phase transformation and corrosion. A direct method is first presented and the predictions show good agreement with experimental results. However, both corrosion and corrosion-free fatigue data are required. Therefore, a new approach is proposed: the inverse Miner’s rule, which requires corrosion fatigue data only to predict corrosion-free life. The new and attractive properties of the selected second alloy, i.e. Ni-rich NiTi SMA, have revived the motivation of the aerospace industry to design SMA actuators. One particular property is cyclic stability generated by precipitation hardening mechanism using precipitates. However, are also precipitates due to high Nickel content (60 wt.% or 55 at.%). Parameters such as processing, heat treatments, size effects, surface quality and environment are investigated. Thermomechanical response and fatigue life are discussed and the greatest impact is found to come from specimen surface quality. Finally, a detailed fractography presents the different microstructural aspects of the fatigue damage and concludes to a precipitation driven fatigue failure mechanism cause by precipitates.