Direct-ink writing of strong and biocompatible titanium scaffolds with bimodal interconnected porosity

M. Coffigniez (1) , Laurent Gremillard (1) , S. Balvay (1) , J. Lachambre (1) , J. Adrien (1) , X Boulnat (1)

1 MATEIS - Matériaux, ingénierie et science [Villeurbanne]

Additive manufacturing of porous Ti6Al4V (Ti64) parts is promising for biomedical applications. In this study, Ti64 scaffolds with two scales of interconnected porosity networks were developed using a direct-ink writing process. Inks were made by dissolving a copolymer (Pluronic F-127) in water to obtain a hydrogel, which was then loaded with Ti64 particles. Both Pluronic F-127 amount in the hydrogel and solid loading influenced ink printability, as shown by rheological measurements and printing accuracy investigation. The best compromise was obtained for a 25 wt% Pluronic hydrogel loaded with 50 vol% of Ti64 particles. A partial sintering of 2 h at 1200 ∘ C led to interconnected micropores within strut, which was characterised by X-Ray computed tomography. Sintered scaffolds presented a compressive strength higher than bone, with a similar Young's modulus. According to their biocompatibility, final microstructure and mechanical properties, these scaffolds show a promising potential for load-bearing implants.

Mots clés: Direct-Ink Writing; Titanium scaffold; Sintering; Microstructure; Compression

Domaines: Matériaux

M. Coffigniez, Laurent Gremillard, S. Balvay, J. Lachambre, J. Adrien, et al.. Direct-ink writing of strong and biocompatible titanium scaffolds with bimodal interconnected porosity. Additive Manufacturing, 2021, 39, pp.101859. ⟨10.1016/j.addma.2021.101859⟩. ⟨hal-03123169⟩