Development and Fabrication of Biocompatible Ti-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Matrix Composites for Additive Manufacturing

Ti-based metallic glasses have a high potential for implant applications. The feasibility of a new biocompatible Ti-based bulk metallic glass composite for selective laser melting (SLM) had been examined. Therefore, it is necessary to design a high-glass-forming-ability Ti-based metallic glass (Delta T-x = 81 K, gamma = 0.427, gamma(m) = 0.763), to fabricate a partial glass-formable spherical powder (the volume fraction of the amorphous phase in the atomized Ti-based powders being 73% [size < 25 mu m], 61% [25-37 mu m], and 50% [37-44 mu m]), and establish an SLM parameter (a scan rate of 600 mm/s, a power of 120W, and an overlap of 10%). The Ti42Zr35Si5Co12.5Sn2.5Ta3 bulk metallic glass composite was successfully fabricated through SLM. This study demonstrates that the TiZrSiCoSnTa system constitutes a promising basis for the additive manufacturing process in terms of preparing biocompatible metallic glass composites into complicated graded foam shapes.

Automated summary

Ti-based metallic glasses have high potential for implant applications. A new biocompatible Ti-based bulk metallic glass composite was successfully fabricated through selective laser melting. The study demonstrates that the TiZrSiCoSnTa system shows promise for preparing biocompatible metallic glass composites into complicated graded foam shapes using additive manufacturing.