titanium devices are implanted in patients worldwide every
year and also the medical grade titanium alloys have a
significantly higher strength to weight ratio than competing
stainless steels. It has been well established that titanium is
completely inert and immune to corrosion by all body fluids
and tissue and is thus completely biocompatible [50]. High
modulus of elasticity of the conventional alloys has resulted
in the stress shielding effect and the failure of the implant.
The modulus of elasticity of titanium based alloys is much
lower and closer to that of the bone when compared to SS
and Co-Cr alloys and hence they are more preferred for long
term applications. As of now, they are used as implants for
joint replacements, bone fixation, dental implants, heart
pacemakers, artificial heart valves, stents and components in
high-speed blood centrifuges because of their high specific
strength and chemical stability [12]. However, these
implants such as artificial joints and bone plates are likely to
be damaged mostly due to fatigue [51]. The reason for this is
due to the decrease in fatigue strength, which in turn should
arise from the synergistic effect of the formation of corrosion
pits on the surface, which arise from the dissolution of Ti2+
ions in the living body, wearing at sliding parts and fretting