Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is increasingly adopted for manufacturing Ti‑6Al‑4V biomedical alloy, yet the rapid solidification produces martensite that may influence corrosion, mechanical performance, and tribocorrosion in physiological environments. This study provides a comparison between wrought (WR) and LPBF Ti‑6Al‑4V alloys to assess the suitability of LPBF material for biomedical applications. Microstructural characterization revealed that WR Ti‑6Al‑4V exhibits a lamellar α+β structure with coarse grains, whereas LPBF consists of fine α′‑martensite and a 10-times smaller grain size. Nanoindentation testing showed that LPBF specimens possess a one-third higher hardness and significantly higher yield strength, while WR alloy demonstrates greater ductility. Electrochemical testing in simulated body fluid (SBF, 37 °C) confirmed very low corrosion rates (10⁻⁵ mA/cm²) and stable passivity for both alloys, with no localized corrosion; however, LPBF exhibited slightly higher passive currents and occasional metastable pitting, attributed to their martensitic structure and elevated defect density. Under dry sliding, LPBF Ti‑6Al‑4V demonstrated ~14% lower wear rate and marginally lower friction. In SBF, wear increased for both alloys, and their wear resistance converged due to tribocorrosion synergy. The LPBF alloy showed a stronger coupling between mechanical damage and electrochemical activity, more intensive wear‑accelerated corrosion, and faster depassivation–repassivation cycling within the wear track. These effects amplified material removal despite higher hardness, whereas the WR showed a more balanced interaction between mechanical wear and corrosion. Generally, LPBF Ti‑6Al‑4V combines high strength, good wear resistance, and excellent corrosion performance, confirming its suitability for implants, while post‑processing heat treatments may further optimize its tribocorrosion response.
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Corrosion and Tribocorrosion Behaviour of Wrought and LPBF Ti‑6Al‑4V Alloys for Biomedical Applications
Published:
25 June 2026
by MDPI
in The 3rd International Online Conference on Corrosion and Materials Degradation
session Corrosion in Biomedical Implants
Abstract:
Keywords: Ti‑6Al‑4V alloy; corrosion; martensite; wear; tribocorrosion
