Hybrid metal-ceramic biomaterials fabricated through powder bed fusion and powder metallurgy for improved impact resistance of craniofacial implants

Rahmani, Ramin (author), Kamboj, Nikhil (author), Brojan, Miha (author), Antonov, Maksim (author), Prashanth, Konda Gokuldoss (author)

The mechanical compliance of craniofacial implants is of paramount importance in the medical field, as the primary concern is to protect the cerebrum after trauma or neurosurgical operation. To develop novel cranial implants, three types of bioactive ceramic powders were embedded in the metallic scaffolds. The scaffolds were fabricated by combining powder bed fusion technology and powder metallurgy. Ti6Al4V lattice structures fabricated by selective laser melting were filled with three different wollastonite-based bioceramics applied for critical-sized craniofacial defects: 1. CaSiO3 (wollastonite, W), 2. Si-CaSiO3 (50 wt.% silicon-wollastonite, W-Si) and 3. CaSiO3single bondCa3(PO4)2−MgCa(SiO3)2 (62 wt.% wollastonite ceramic glass, W62) by spark plasma sintering. The mechanical behavior of the Ti6Al4V-CaSiO3 hybrid metal-ceramic biomaterial composite was evaluated by the dynamic impact test designed by the authors. Furthermore, the proposed fabrication process implies that the metallic scaffolds can bear the mechanical loads, hold the composite structure together, and deliberately induced cracks/pores in the ceramic region can be exploited for drug delivery. Except Ti6Al4V which is known for implants, the potential of using TiNi and Ti22Al25Nb is investigated here for dynamic impact-resistance applications. Due to ductility of TiNi and rigidity of Ti22Al25Nb, an average stress distributed in structures under loading is approximately 600, 550 and 400 MPa for Ti6Al4V, TiNi, and Ti22Al25Nb, respectively. Results show declination in the level of porosity from ceramic (W) to metalloid-ceramic (W-Si) and ceramic-glass (W62) in the composite, respectively, and limited cracking in the impact region of the ceramic and the metallic struts interface when subjected to multiple dynamic impacts.

• Language: English
• Keywords: selective laser melting, hybrid metal-ceramic biomaterial, craniofacial implants
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Preprint, working version of publication, not peer-reviewed
• Publication date: 30.05.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 24, art. 101465
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-137249
• UDC: 531/533:620.1/.2
• ISSN on article: 2589-1529
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtla.2022.101465
• COBISS.SI-ID: 110758403
• Publication date in RUL: 08.06.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materialia
• Publisher: Elsevier, Acta Materialia Inc.
• ISSN: 2589-1529
• COBISS.SI-ID: 43267075

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: selektivno lasersko taljenje, hibriden kovinsko-keramični biomaterial, kraniofacialni implanti