Properties of solid core and porous surface Ti–6Al–4V implants manufactured by powder metallurgy

In this study, porous-surfaced with solid core Ti–6Al–4V implant compacts were fabricated by traditional powder metallurgy. Powder metallurgy technique was used to produce three different porous surfaced implant compacts 30, 50, and 70% in vacuum atmosphere. The solid core formed in the center of the compact shows similar microstructure of near full density of Ti–6Al–4V. The compressive yield strength was up to 270 MPa and significantly depended on the surface porosity, core size, and temperature of sintering. Porous-surfaced Ti–6Al–4V implant compacts with a solid core have much higher compressive strengths compared to the human bone. The in-growth of bone tissue into the outer porous surface layer results in part fixation, while the solid inner core region provides the necessary mechanical strength for a device used for the replacement of heavy load bearing joint regions such as the hip and knee. The microstructure of sintered samples was investigated.