ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI Grade 23 Titanium Plate & Sheet
- Standard: ASTM F136 (or contract-specified edition)
- Grade: Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23)
- UNS: R56401
- Supply form: Hot-rolled plate, cold-rolled sheet or cut flat stock
- Condition: Annealed, as ordered
- Dicke: 0.3–60 mm; Customizable up to 100 mm
- Width: 400–2000 mm
- Länge: 1000–6000 mm
Customizable sizes are available, while specific product parameters should be confirmed per the applicable standard edition and order.
Product Overview
ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI (commonly called Grade 23) titanium plate and sheet are wrought, annealed alpha-beta titanium alloy flat products for surgical implant manufacture, UNS R56401. ELI means extra-low interstitial. Compared with conventional Ti-6Al-4V, tighter limits on oxygen, iron and other interstitial elements improve fracture toughness, fatigue-crack-growth resistance and low-temperature toughness while retaining high specific strength, corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility.
Flat product may be supplied as hot-rolled plate, cold-rolled sheet or contract-finished flat stock. Typical uses include orthopedic fixation plates, cranio-maxillofacial and spinal implant components, joint-system parts, surgical instruments and precision medical parts. ASTM F136 specifies medical-alloy raw material; the finished implant still requires device-level validation for actual thickness, rolling direction, microstructure, surface integrity, fatigue, cleaning, sterilization, biological evaluation and applicable regulation.
| Specification | Cold-Rolled Titanium Sheet | Hot-Rolled Titanium Plate | ||
| Standard | ASTM F136 | |||
| Grades | Gr23 | |||
| Thickness | 0.3–4.75 mm | 5–60 mm; Customizable up to 100 mm | ||
| Standard Stock Thicknesses | 0.5 / 0.6 / 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.5 / 3.0 / 4.0mm | 5 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 50 / 60 mm | ||
| Width | 400–1200 mm | 400–2000 mm | ||
| Length | 1000–3000 mm | 1000–6000 mm | ||
| Note | Sheet Thickness ≤ 4.75 mm | Medical Titanium Plate & Sheet Typical thickness 0.5–20 mm; width ≤1200 mm; polished or pickled surfaces available. | ||
Medical-use boundary: ASTM F136-compliant plate and sheet are medical-device raw material, not an approved finished implant. The device manufacturer remains responsible for design, forming/joining, surface treatment, cleaning, sterilization, biological evaluation, risk management and regulatory compliance.
Main Characteristics
- Medical Ti-6Al-4V ELI: Tight control of oxygen, iron, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen improves damage tolerance while preserving the high strength of Ti-6Al-4V, suiting devices sensitive to fatigue, bending and fracture.
- Controlled alpha-beta chemistry: Aluminum stabilizes alpha and vanadium stabilizes beta. Al, V, interstitials and residual elements require heat-specific control for consistent strength, ductility, microstructure and rolling/forming response.
- Good biocompatibility: A stable TiO2 passive film and extensive clinical use support its role as a common implant material. The finished device still requires biological evaluation under applicable regulations and standards such as ISO 10993.
- Good corrosion resistance: Performance is generally excellent in saline, body fluids and many chloride environments, but fretting, crevices, dissimilar-metal coupling, fluoride media and surface contamination require device-level evaluation.
- Weldable with strict shielding: Qualified laser, electron-beam, GTAW/TIG or resistance processes may be used. The pool, back side and hot heat-affected zone require full inert-gas protection. Sheet welding must also control heat input, distortion and residual stress.
- High strength with limited room-temperature formability: Plate and sheet can be sheared, stamped, bent and formed to a limited extent, but have less forming margin and greater springback than unalloyed titanium. Minimum bend radius, bend orientation and forming temperature depend on thickness, annealed condition, grain/texture and surface quality; complex forming normally uses qualified warm or hot-forming procedures.
Chemical Composition
The following mass-percent limits are commonly applied to ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI (UNS R56401). The current active edition is ASTM F136 . Formal purchasing and acceptance are governed by the contract edition, official ASTM text and original mill report. A hydrogen note applies to material 0.813 mm (0.032 in) and under, as shown below.
| Element | ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI requirement |
| Nitrogen, N | ≤0.05% |
| Carbon, C | ≤0.08% |
| Hydrogen, H | ≤0.0125%* |
| Iron, Fe | ≤0.25% |
| Oxygen, O | ≤0.13% |
| Aluminum, Al | 5.5-6.5% |
| Vanadium, V | 3.5-4.5% |
| Residual elements, each | ≤0.10% |
| Residual elements, total | ≤0.40% |
| Titanium, Ti | Balance |
Technical references: ASTM F136 official scope, established technical data from ASTM F136-13(2021)e1, and published producer data for Ti-6Al-4V ELI flat products.
- * For material 0.813 mm (0.032 in) and under, hydrogen may be up to 0.0150%; the contract-specified ASTM edition governs.
- Aluminum and vanadium: Al is 5.5-6.5% and V is 3.5-4.5%, together producing a heat-treatable alpha-beta microstructure. Chemical homogeneity, melting and thermomechanical processing affect microstructure and final properties.
- Oxygen, iron and interstitials: Lower O, Fe, C, N and H limits improve toughness and fatigue-crack-growth behavior. For material 0.813 mm (0.032 in) and under, the standard note permits hydrogen up to 0.0150%; other thicknesses commonly use 0.0125% maximum. Confirm the applicable contract edition and actual thickness.
- Residual elements: Each and total limits must be controlled. The material report must correspond to the heat; testing only Al and V does not satisfy the complete chemistry requirement.
- Titanium content: The specification states Titanium: Balance. A nominal grade or medical-grade claim does not replace heat-specific analysis, the material report and contract testing.
Mechanical Properties
ASTM F136 specifies room-temperature tensile requirements for annealed wrought Ti-6Al-4V ELI. Common annealed plate-and-sheet reference minimums are 860 MPa ultimate tensile strength, 795 MPa 0.2% offset yield strength and 10% elongation. Formal acceptance must follow product thickness, sampling direction, specimen form, gauge length and the official table in the contract edition; applicable thicknesses also require the specified bend test.
| Property | ASTM F136 annealed reference | Note |
| Ultimate tensile strength | ≥860 MPa | Specified minimum |
| 0.2% yield strength | ≥795 MPa | Specified minimum |
| Elongation | ≥10% | Gauge length/specimen and thickness requirements follow the contract edition |
ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI Annealed Plate & Sheet Reference Requirements
| Property | Ti-6Al-4V ELI annealed reference |
| Ultimate tensile strength | Minimum 860 MPa |
| 0.2% yield strength | Minimum 795 MPa |
| Elongation | Minimum 10% |
| Elastic modulus | Typical approx. 105-116 GPa |
Important: Mechanical properties must be applied with thickness, sampling location and direction, specimen form, gauge length, annealed condition and the official table. Applicable thicknesses also require the specified bend test. Generic web data cannot replace contract acceptance, and ASTM F136 raw-material compliance alone does not approve a finished implant.
HTN Supply and Quality Documentation
HTN organizes ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23) medical titanium plate and sheet supply to customer purchase requirements. Material is produced by qualified titanium-mill resources. Original mill reports, heat/plate traceability, chemistry and mechanical records can be supplied as agreed. HTN reviews the standard edition, thickness, width, length, tolerances, condition, surface, flatness, rolling direction, edges and packaging, and can arrange independent retesting, microstructure examination, ultrasonic or liquid-penetrant testing, cut-to-size processing, clean packaging and third-party inspection.
Typical Applications
- raw material for orthopedic trauma fixation plates, bone plates and related load-bearing implant components;
- cranio-maxillofacial reconstruction plates, spinal implant components and joint-system parts;
- dental, surgical-instrument and other medical-device components requiring high-strength thin sections;
- flat stock for precision stamping, bending, machining or hybrid additive/subtractive manufacturing;
- medical-device parts requiring high specific strength, good damage tolerance and corrosion resistance;
- hot-rolled plate, cold-rolled sheet, ground plate and cut-to-size flat stock supplied to customer drawings;
- medical-device research, prototypes and custom implant material;
- international projects when ISO 5832-3, regulatory and customer supplementary requirements are also met.
Application boundary: ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI plate and sheet are raw material for surgical implant applications, not an approved finished implant. The final device must separately meet applicable regulations, design validation, fatigue evaluation, biological evaluation, cleaning, sterilization and traceability requirements.
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Fabrication and Machining Characteristics
Rolling, Finishing and Dimensional Control
Ti-6Al-4V ELI plate and sheet are commonly made by qualified melting, ingot breakdown, slab forging, hot rolling and, where required, cold rolling, annealing, leveling and surface finishing. Rolling temperature, pass reduction, rolling direction, cold work and intermediate annealing must be controlled for uniform thickness, stable microstructure and ordered flatness. Sheared, sawn, water-cut or machined edges must be free from unacceptable overheating, laminations, cracks and contamination.
Shearing, bending and forming
Plate and sheet may be sheared, blanked, bent, drawn or machined. Room-temperature bending must consider rolling direction, thickness, edge quality and springback; longitudinal and transverse properties may differ. Complex shapes should use qualified warm or hot-forming procedures and intermediate annealing where needed. Bend-test angle and bend factor/mandrel follow the contract ASTM edition and applicable thickness table.
Annealing and heat treatment
ASTM F136 fundamentally applies to annealed material. Flat product may be annealed after hot or cold rolling to achieve specified strength, ductility and microstructure. Temperature, soak, cooling and vacuum/inert atmosphere must be controlled to avoid grain coarsening, excessive beta transformation, alpha case, distortion, oxidation and hydrogen pickup. Special heat-treatment conditions require separate contract definition and validation.
Welding and joining
Qualified laser, electron-beam, GTAW/TIG, resistance or diffusion joining may be used. Remove oil, oxides and iron contamination before joining and fully shield the weld face, back side and hot heat-affected zone. Sheet joining must control heat input and distortion; the finished device must validate joint microstructure, strength, fatigue, corrosion resistance and cleanliness.
Typical Physical Properties
The following are typical values for annealed Ti-6Al-4V ELI near room temperature. Unless explicitly required by the standard or contract, they are not mandatory ASTM F136 lot-acceptance values.
| Physical property | reference value |
| Density | Approx. 4.43 g/cm³ |
| Elastic modulus at room temperature | Approx. 105-116 GPa |
| Thermal conductivity at room temperature | Approx. 6.7 W/(m·K) |
| Mean CTE, 20-100°C | Approx. 8.6×10⁻⁶/K |
| Solidus/liquidus reference | Approx. 1604-1660°C |
| Poisson’s ratio | Typically approx. 0.34 |
| Crystal structure at room temperature | Alpha + beta |
| Magnetism | Essentially non-magnetic |
| Strengthening mechanism | Solid solution, microstructure control and optional heat treatment |
| Specific heat at room temperature | Typically approx. 526 J/(kg·K) |
Physical-property reference: Producer data for Ti-6Al-4V ELI / UNS R56401. Values vary with temperature, microstructure, rolling orientation, cold work and heat treatment and are not routine ASTM F136 lot-acceptance values.
Korrosionsbeständigkeit
Ti-6Al-4V ELI develops a spontaneous, renewable TiO₂ passive film and generally resists saline, body fluids and many aqueous chlorides. Flat-product performance also depends on surface scratches, rolling/grinding residue, edge quality, micromotion, fretting, crevices, dissimilar metals, electrochemical conditions, forming residual stress and cleaning or sterilization residue.
Environments in Which Grade 23 Generally Performs Well
- Saline and many simulated-body-fluid environments;
- humid air and high-purity water;
- neutral chloride solutions;
- many oxidizing environments;
- properly controlled cleaning and passivation processes;
- many medical-device sterilization processes after device validation;
- long-term tissue contact without fretting;
- validated orthopedic, spinal and dental implant environments.
Environments Requiring Careful Evaluation
- Fluoride cleaners, hydrofluoric acid or high-fluoride oral conditions;
- local acidification in oxygen-starved crevices;
- combined fretting, wear and corrosion;
- galvanic coupling with unsuitable dissimilar metals;
- cathodic hydrogen charging or improper electrochemical treatment;
- strong reducing acids;
- hot concentrated salts or unusual disinfection chemicals;
- areas containing particles, residues or surface damage;
- new uses lacking device-level corrosion and biological validation.
Engineering caution: Biocompatibility, fatigue and body-fluid corrosion performance are not determined by grade alone. Flat-product cleanliness, microstructure, rolling direction, surface scratches, grinding residue, edge quality, residual stress, fretting, wear, crevices, dissimilar metals, fluoride exposure and sterilization residue can affect the final device.
Typical Industry Manufacturing Route for ASTM F136 Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium Plate & Sheet
- Raw-material selection and charge preparation: Use qualified titanium raw material, aluminum-vanadium master alloy and strictly controlled clean revert, closely controlling O, Fe, C, N, H and residual elements.
- Electrode preparation: Homogenize, compact and weld consumable electrodes while avoiding high-density inclusions, low-density inclusions, oil, moisture and foreign contamination.
- Melting and ingot production: Use a qualified vacuum-melting route meeting ASTM F136 and purchase requirements, controlling chemistry uniformity, inclusions and ingot quality. Melt count and special raw-material restrictions are governed by the standard and order.
- Ingot conditioning and slab preparation: Crop unsuitable ends, remove surface defects, sufficiently break down the cast structure by forging, and make slabs suitable for rolling.
- Hot and cold rolling: Hot-roll using a qualified temperature and deformation schedule, controlling reduction, direction, temperature drop, oxidation and shape. Thin-gauge products may be further cold-rolled with intermediate annealing where needed.
- Final annealing and surface conditioning: Apply a qualified final anneal; remove scale, alpha case and rolling residue; prevent hydrogen pickup and iron contamination; and achieve the ordered annealed microstructure, properties and clean surface.
- Leveling, cutting and finishing: Level, shear, saw, water-cut, grind or polish to the ordered thickness, width, length, flatness, edge condition and surface roughness.
- Cleaning: Use validated mechanical or chemical cleaning to prevent oil, abrasive, iron, chlorinated-cleaner and pickling residue. Final implant precision cleaning and sterilization remain the device manufacturer responsibility.
- Inspection: Verify chemistry, tensile properties, thickness, dimensions, flatness, surface and identification by heat or lot; perform bend testing where applicable. Microstructure, ultrasonic testing for thicker plate, liquid penetrant, roughness or other supplementary examinations follow the standard and order.
- Identification, packaging and traceability: Maintain one-to-one correspondence among heat, lot, plate number, flat product and report. Use clean, dry, scratch-resistant packaging with interleaving to prevent bending, mix-ups and cross-contamination.
Manufacturing and inspection note: ASTM F136 specifies material requirements, but thickness/width/length and tolerances, supplementary melting requirements, flatness, rolling direction, edges, roughness, ultrasonic or penetrant testing, clean packaging, EN 10204 3.1 documentation and third-party inspection must be confirmed in the purchase order.
