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Optimising β-Ti21S Alloy Lattice Structures for Enhanced Femoral Implants: A Study on Mechanical and Biological
Lorena Emanuelli1,2, Melika Babaei2,3, Raffaele De Biasi2
1INSTM Operative Center, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, Italy.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 11, 2025
Summary
This study investigates lattice structures in β-Ti21S alloy for better bone implants. TPMS 2.5 structures show promise for femoral implants due to good mechanical and biological properties.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
- Orthopedic Implants
Background:
- Metastable β-Ti21S alloy offers a lower elastic modulus than Ti-6Al-4V ELI, crucial for reducing stress shielding in bone implants.
- Additive manufacturing enables the creation of complex lattice structures, optimizing implant integration with bone.
- Tailoring lattice structures (auxetic for tension, TPMS for compression) is key for load-bearing applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the manufacturability and mechanical performance of β-Ti21S alloy lattice structures for orthopedic applications.
- To compare auxetic bow-tie and Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures fabricated using laser powder bed fusion.
- To assess the biological response of β-Ti21S alloy structures for enhanced osseointegration.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of β-Ti21S alloy via laser powder bed fusion.
- Manufacturing of auxetic bow-tie (AUX 2.5, AUX 3.5) and TPMS (TPMS 2.5, TPMS 1.5) lattice structures.
- Micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) for printability and pore size analysis.
- Quasi-static mechanical testing and fatigue resistance evaluation.
- In vitro biological testing for cell viability and activity.
Main Results:
- TPMS 1.5 structures exhibited printability issues, impacting pore size and reducing fatigue resistance compared to TPMS 2.5.
- AUX 3.5 structures demonstrated stiffness similar to cancellous bone but lacked sufficient yield and fatigue strength for femoral implants.
- β-Ti21S alloy structures were found to be non-toxic, promoting enhanced cellular activity.
Conclusions:
- The β-Ti21S alloy, particularly with TPMS 2.5 lattice structures, shows significant potential for femoral implant applications.
- Further research is needed to overcome printability challenges observed in TPMS 1.5 structures.
- The combination of tailored lattice designs and β-Ti21S alloy offers a promising avenue for advanced orthopedic implants.
