Laser powder bed fusion of hydroxyapatite functionalized Ti-6Al-4V bi-material with potential biomedical applications

Hydroxyapatite (HA) was added to the Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) to fabricate Ti64/Ti64-HA bi-materials using the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process. Incorporation of 1wt.%HA into the Ti64 led to a significant enhancement in hardness (20 %), yield strength (22 %), and scratch resistance and mitigated the concerns associated with the relatively poor wear resistance of the Ti64 in load-bearing implant applications. The improved mechanical properties were mainly due to the refining of α′ laths and the second constituent strengthening.