Host organisation & country:

University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Titanium alloys particularly Ti-6Al-4V is considered the gold-standard material for making biomedical implants. However, implants made from this alloy are highly-priced and are not easily afforded by middle-and low-income earners in many developing countries. There is a need to develop cheaper alternatives to ensure that bodily functions are restored in people living with fractured bones and related disabilities. This has become more crucial since the United Nations report indicated that a larger proportion of older adults - aged 65 and above - will reside in developing countries by 2030. These adults are prone to bone fractures and many diseases.  Dr Bodunrin’s research is centred on developing low-cost titanium alloys and providing the relevant scientific information that can be used for large-scale production of affordable implant components for middle- and low-income earners.

Grantee Description

Dr Michael Oluwatosin Bodunrin is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He obtained his Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering, from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2018. Prior to this, he worked in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Currently, Dr Bodunrin’s research activities focus majorly on developing efficient and affordable metallic alloys that can serve as the next generation of implant material in the biomedical industry. He is currently mentoring a number of young African scientists on research and innovation in the field of Material Science and Engineering. His broader research interests align with some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, African Agenda 2063 and the South Africa national priorities.

He is passionate about using his research to enhance the general well-being of humans, reduce inequalities and foster responsible consumption and production.  Apart from his research activities, he enjoys contributing towards science communication and science advocacy.

Project: Development of low-cost experimental titanium alloys for bioimplant applications

Low-cost experimental titanium alloys based on Ti-Al-V-Fe compositions were developed at incremental scales (from 10g to 4kg) by manipulating the alloy chemistry and optimising the parameters for forming and machining of the alloys. The low-cost experimental alloys are largely considered for land-based applications particularly for the biomedical industry. The experimental alloys were subjected to bulk and surface properties evaluation. The results were then compared to those obtained from Ti-6Al-4V, the most investigated and most utilised titanium alloy. The low-cost experimental alloys showed superior bulk and surface properties when compared to commercial Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Hence making them a very promising biomedical implant material. The scientific information provided on these low-cost experimental alloys would serve as a basis for manufacturing cheaper bioimplant materials that can serve middle- and low-income earners that may require implants for restoration of body functions. Additionally, South African huge titanium resource may create new opportunities in terms of downstream beneficiation and alloy development. This will create new economic and employment opportunities in the country.