Study on preparation and properties of silver alloy for Mongolian medicine acupuncture

Bin Xiao; Jun Wang; He Yang; De-Zhi Yang; Man Da; Ta La; Temuqile Temuqile

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29145

Study on preparation and properties of silver alloy for Mongolian medicine acupuncture

Heliyon. 2024 Apr 4;10(8):e29145. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29145. eCollection 2024 Apr 30.

Authors

Bin Xiao^{1

2}, Jun Wang³, He Yang², De-Zhi Yang¹, Man Da¹, Ta La³, Temuqile Temuqile¹

Affiliations

¹ International Mongolian Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 010021, China.
² School of Materials Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 010051, China.
³ School of Physical Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.

Abstract

The Mongolian medical silver needles often encounter issues of bending, fracturing, and blunting in clinical applications. Similarly, Mongolian warm needles can cause burns on patients due to inaccurate temperature control. In this study, we developed an Ag85Cu15 alloy specifically for acupuncture needles based on material preparation. By incorporating appropriate amounts of Mn and Ti elements, we were able to enhance the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the acupuncture needles. Compared to commercially available silver needles, this alloy exhibited a significant increase in microhardness up to 210.2 Hv_0.2 and an improved tensile strength of 880.2 MPa. Furthermore, we designed a thermoelectric effect-based temperature measurement model for precise control of the warm needle's temperature, enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of the treatment.

Keywords: Biocompatibility; Mechanical property; Mongolian medical acupuncture; Silver alloy; Thermoelectric effect.