Microstructure of as-built 3D-printed Ti and Ti64 biomaterials alloyed with copper

The use of titanium (Ti) and its alloys (particularly Ti6Al4V, or simply Ti64) to additively manufacture implants for tissue engineering in the biomedical field has seen a steep rise in recent years. Titanium is the preferred metal for bioengineering applications due to its outstanding specific strength, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance. Additive manufacturing (AM, also known as 3D printing) provides unchallenged freedom for designers, allowing them to fabricate custom objects while maintaining a short turnaround time. The layer-by-layer production nature of 3D printing techniques, such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), has been successfully utilized by the medical industry to manufacture complex shapes using biocompatible materials in order to produce implants. The drawback of Ti and its alloy is that they do not innately possess antibacterial properties and may attract bacterial attachment because of their biocompatibility. Copper (Cu) is an essential mineral which displays a highly efficient antibacterial effect. Thus, alloying Ti-based implant material with Cu particles induces a bactericidal feature in such biomaterials. This paper describes the DMLS manufacturing of in situ alloyed commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and Ti6Al4V ELI with Cu and the examination of their microstructure. Studying the microstructure of 3D-printed parts is essential for predicting their mechanical properties and functionality.