Additive manufacturing of titanium-based alloys- A review of methods, properties, challenges, and prospects

Abstract

The development of materials for biomedical, aerospace, and automobile industries has been a significant area of research in recent years. Various metallic materials, including steels, cast iron, nickel-based alloys, and other metals with exceptional mechanical properties, have been reportedly utilized for fabrication in these industries. However, titanium and its alloys have proven to be outstanding due to their enhanced properties. The β-titanium alloys with reduced modulus compared with the human bone have found more usage in the biomedical industry. In contrast, the α and α+β titanium alloys are more utilized to fabricate parts in the automobile and aerospace industries due to their relatively lightweight. Amongst the numerous additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, selective laser and electron beam melting techniques are frequently used for the fabrication of metallic components due to the full densification and high dimensional accuracy they offer. This paper reviews and discusses the different types of AM techniques, attention is also drawn to the properties and challenges associated with additively manufactured titanium -based alloys. The outcome from this study shows that 3D printed titanium and titanium-alloys exhibit huge prospects for various applications in the medical and aerospace industries. Also, laser-assisted 3D technologies were found to be the most effective AM method for achieving enhanced or near-full densification.