Several cylindrical specimens and dental implants, presenting diagonal lattice structures with different cell sizes (600, 900 and 1200 μm) were additively manufactured by selective laser melting process. Then they were implanted for two months in a sheep. After removal, they were studied by Archimedes’ method as well as X-ray computed tomography in order to assess the penetration of bone into the lattice. We observed that the additive manufactured parts were geometrically conformed to the theoretical specifications. However, several particles were left adhering to the surface of the lattice, thereby partly or entirely obstructing the cells. Nevertheless, bone penetration was clearly visible. We conclude that the 900 μm lattice cell size is more favourable to bone penetration than the 1200 μm lattice cell size, as the bone penetration is 84% for 900 μm against 54% for 1200 μm cell structures. The lower bone penetration value for the 1200 μm lattice cell could possibly be attributed to the short residence time in the sheep. Our results lead to the conclusion that lattice implants additively manufactured by selective laser melting enable better bone integration.

The crystallographic texture, orientation relationships, coherency stress, and thermal stability of sputter-deposited Ni/Ni 3 Al multilayered thin films were studied as a function of bilayer period (⌳) as well as processing parameters such as substrate type, deposition temperature, and prebake conditions. Deposition onto oxidized Si or single-crystal Cu(001), NaCl(001), or KBr(001) substrates near room temperature produces multilayers with a [111] crystallographic texture along the Ni/Ni 3 Al interface normal and a disordered face-centered cubic structure for the Ni 3 Al phase. In contrast, deposition at 673 K onto NaCl(001) or KBr(001) substrates that are prebaked in vacuum at 693 K produces a chemically ordered L1 2 structure for the Ni 3 Al phase and (001) epitaxial growth. X-ray diffraction measurements of (001) multilayers with equal volume fraction of Ni and Ni 3 Al reveals a transition from a nearly incoherent state at ⌳ ‫ס‬ 240 nm to a semicoherent one at ⌳ ‫ס‬ 40 nm. Remarkably, (001) multilayers were observed to solutionize at 1373 K, which is approximately 100 K below that predicted by the Ni-Al phase diagram.

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The osseointegration in/around additively manufactured (AM) lattice structures of a new titanium alloy, Ti–19Nb–14Zr, was evaluated. Different lattices with increasingly high sidewalls gradually closing them were manufactured and implanted in sheep. After removal, the bone–interface implant (BII) and bone–implant contact (BIC) were studied from 3D X-ray computed tomography images. Measured BII of less than 10 µm and BIC of 95% are evidence of excellent osseointegration. Since AM naturally leads to a high-roughness surface finish, the wettability of the implant is increased. The new alloy possesses an increased affinity to the bone. The lattice provides crevices in which the biological tissue can jump in and cling. The combination of these factors is pushing ossification beyond its natural limits. Therefore, the quality and speed of the ossification and osseointegration in/around these Ti–19Nb–14Zr laterally closed lattice implants open the possibility of bone spline key of prostheses. This enables the stabilization of the implant into the bone while keeping the possibility of punctual hooks allowing the implant to be removed more easily if required. Thus, this new titanium alloy and such laterally closed lattice structures are appropriate candidates to be implemented in a new generation of implants.

This manuscript discusses the morphological instability observed when multilayered samples with alternating layers of Γ-Ni(Al)/γ-Ni3Al are exposed to 800C for approximately 100 hours. Samples with 20nm/20nm or 120nm/120nm layer thickness and <001> or <Ill> crystal orientation to the interface normal were tested. Pinching off of layers is strongly affected by crystal orientation and layer thickness. Corresponding modeling suggests that the stability of this system is sensitive to fluctuations in the volume fraction of the two phases, the aspect ratio of columnar grains in the layers, and whether coherent or semi-coherent interfaces are present.