Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are predominant choices for use as biomaterials in human implants. Research has shown the adverse effects of using commercial Ti alloy Ti-6Al-4V in the human body, and this presents a need for viable alternatives. In this study, Ti alloy Ti-17Nb-6Ta was manufactured by laser cladding—a prominent additive manufacturing (AM) technology. Laser cladded specimens were evaluated for their in vitro and electrochemical behavior. A human osteosarcoma cell line (MG-63 cells) was used for in vitro investigations. Cell proliferation was good in the physiological medium, and cells were alive when in contact with the laser cladded alloy, even after two to three weeks, indicating good cell viability and compatibility with this alloy. Electrochemical characterization was carried out in Ringer’s solution, and noticeably lower corrosion current density and corrosion rate values were observed. The lower amounts of these parameters indicated the passivation behavior due to multi-layer Ti, Nb, and Ta alloy oxide films. These oxide films also enhanced osseointegration. Thus, the Ti-17Nb-6Ta alloy can be an ideal biocompatible alternative to Ti-6Al-4V.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has started to unfold diverse fields of applications by providing unique solutions to manufacturing. Laser cladding is one of the prominent AM technologies that can be used to fulfill the needs of custom implants. In this study, the wear resistance of the laser cladded titanium alloy, Ti-17Nb-6Ta, has been evaluated under varied loads in Ringer’s solution. Microstructural evaluation of the alloy was performed by SEM and EDX, followed by phase analysis through XRD. The wear testing and analysis have been carried out with a tribometer under varied loads of 10, 15, and 20 N while keeping other parameters constant. Abrasion was observed to be the predominant mechanism majorly responsible for the wearing of the alloy at the interface. The average wear rate and coefficient of friction values were 0.016 mm3/Nm and 0.22, respectively. The observed values indicated that the developed alloy exhibited excellent wear resistance, which is deemed an essential property for developing biomedical materials for human body implants such as artificial hip and knee joints.