Compressive behaviour of gyroid lattice structures for human cancellous bone implant applications

Abstract

Electron beam melting (EBM) was used to fabricate porous titanium alloy structures. The elastic modulus of these porous structures was similar to the elastic modulus of the cancellous human bone. Two types of cellular lattice structures were manufactured and tested: gyroids and diamonds. The design of the gyroid structures was determined by the main angle of the struts with respect to the axial direction. Thus, structures with angles of between 19 and 68.5° were manufactured. The aim of the design was to reduce the amount of material needed to fabricate a structure with the desired angles to increase the range of stiffness of the scaffolds. Compression tests were conducted to obtain the elastic modulus and the strength. Both parameters increased as the angle decreased. Finally, the specific strength of the gyroid structures was compared with that of the diamond structures and other types of structures. It is shown that, for angles lower than 35°, the gyroid structures had a high strength to weight ratios.