Mechanical properties of AM Ti6Al4V porous scaffolds with various cell structures

Porous scaffolds as succedaneum of natural bone were investigated and applied in medical field. In this work, we carried out studies on mechanical properties of solid parts and porous scaffolds obtained by additive manufacturing (AM) technique. It is found that productions of AM process have a higher yield strength and higher microhardness compared to commercial Ti6Al4V. Roughened surface was observed for layer-by-layer process of AM and sticking of powder particles. The machining accuracy is affected by both dimensions and angles. Meanwhile, mechanical properties of porous scaffolds are influenced by machining accuracy and microdefects. In addition, the unit cell structures also impact the mechanical properties of porous scaffolds in terms of elastic modulus, yield strength and failure mode. Overall, considering the mechanical properties and biological properties, scaffolds with cube (CB) crystal cells are the best choice in our study.