Mechanical properties of a Ti-6A1-4V dental implant produced by electro-discharge compaction.

Cylindrical, porous-surfaced implants were fabricated from Ti-6A1-4V atomized powders by an electro-discharge compaction technique (EDC). Input energy (1-2.5 kJ/g powder) was used to produce implant compacts having a solid core surrounded by a porous layer. The solid core size, neck size between core and particle, neck size between particles, and pore size in the porous layer varied as input energy was changed. Compression tests were carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties of the EDC compacts. The yield strength ranged from 270 to 530 MPa and the ultimate compressive strengths ranged from 390 to 600 MPa. The yield strengths for solid core, core-particle and particle-particle interfaces remained constant at 755 MPa regardless of input energy. The endurance limits estimated from these results were 190-310 MPa, which were higher than the reported values for sintered titanium implants. Microhardness testing revealed that hardness was independent of input energy and the position where the testing indentation was applied. The average hardness of the compacts was 3430 MPa.