Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Beta-Type Titanium Alloys for Biomedical Application: A Review

Additive manufacturing of β-type titanium alloy is expected to replace Ti–6Al–4V alloy in the field of orthopedic implantation because of their low elastic modulus, excellent corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. After briefly introducing the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process and physical phenomena, this paper reviews the recent progresses in LPBF-ed β-type Ti alloys. The strategies to strengthening and toughening β-type Ti alloys are critically reviewed. This is followed by the processing routes employed to achieve to low modulus for orthopedic applications, especially a new methodology for tailoring crystallographic orientation called multi-track coupled directional solidification. The effect of processing and compositions on performance metrics of β-type Ti alloys included corrosion behavior, and biocompatibility is reviewed. In the end, challenges in additive manufacturing of β-type Ti alloys in future are highlighted, with the aim to ensue clinical application of LPBF-ed β-type Ti alloys.