Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology, also known as selective laser fusion (SLM) technology, has aroused interest in developing the technology for biomedical applications due to its ability for mass customization. In the research of L-PBF for biomedical applications, many focus on the study of pure titanium and titanium-based alloys L-PBF.
Tantalum is an ideal choice for titanium alloys in the biomedical field due to its good biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties. However, due to the huge difference in density and melting point of tantalum and titanium, the traditional alloying process is difficult to combine them together, so TiTa alloy has not been widely used. Studies have shown that L-PBF can produce TiTa alloys, but also has the potential for in-situ alloying and direct manufacturing of functional parts.
Titanium-tantalum alloy samples were prepared with 0, 10, 30, 50 wt.% tantalum by using L-PBF and in-situ alloying methods. The microstructure of the alloy was determined and the mechanical properties of the alloy were studied. In order to determine the suitability of these alloys as biomaterials, they were evaluated for biocompatibility.
In order to study the mechanical properties of the alloy, the researchers used tensile test and Vickers hardness test to study. Ti30Ta was found to have the lowest modulus and the highest tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS), providing the best mechanical properties for orthopedic applications. The tensile properties of TiTa alloy produced by L-PBF are shown in Figure 1. BSE and EBSD analysis showed that the average size of lath/acicular grains decreased with the addition of Ta. Through the Vickers hardness test, it can be found that the addition of Ta refines the size of the slat/needle phase, and the strength of TiTa alloy can reach the strength of Ti30Ta.
