Ti-6Al-4V (UNS designation R56400), also sometimes called TC4, Ti64,[1] or ASTM Grade 5, is an alpha-beta titanium alloy with a high specific strength and excellent corrosion resistance.
Studies of titanium alloys used in armors began in the 1950s at the Watertown Arsenal, which later became a part of the Army Research Laboratory.
[2][3] A 1948 graduate of MIT, Stanley Abkowitz (1927-2017) was a pioneer in the titanium industry and is credited for the invention of the Ti-6Al-4V during his time at the US Army’s Watertown Arsenal Laboratory in the early 1950s.
The latter possess enhanced biocompatibility, reduced elastic modulus, and superior strain-controlled and notch fatigue resistance.
[7] However, the poor shear strength and wear resistance of titanium alloys have nevertheless limited their biomedical use.