Mechanical properties of porous titanium alloy scaffold fabricated using additive manufacturing technology

Additive manufacturing technology has been widely used for the fabrication of porous titanium (Ti) orthopedic implants. Though high porosities and low stiffness of the scaffolds are benefit for bone ingrowth, the compressive strength and fatigue performance of the scaffolds are still necessary for load-bearing applications. In this study, a novel porous scaffold with framework structure was designed and fabricated using selective laser melting process. The mechanical properties of the porous Ti scaffolds were evaluated. The results showed that the compressive strength of the scaffolds possessing framework structure was enhanced significantly with the porosity decreased slightly. In addition to static mechanical properties, the fatigue properties of the porous Ti scaffolds were also improved via the framework structure.