Achieving Improved Mechanical Property of Laser Powder Bed Fusion‐Processed Ti‐15Zr Alloy by Manipulating Microstructures through Heat Treatment

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) enables precise fabrication of biomedical titanium alloys. However, the microstructure–property relationship governed by post‐processing heat treatment requires a systematic elucidation to achieve implant‐grade performance. A Ti‐15Zr alloy is fabricated for dental implant applications via LPBF, and the influence of heat treatment parameters (temperature, duration, and cooling rate) on microstructure and mechanical properties is systematically investigated. Optimized heat treatment is found to promote three distinct microstructural modifications: equilibrium α‐phase transformation, α lamella coarsening, and redistribution of Zr atoms. The Ti‐15Zr alloy subjected to 800 °C for 60 min heat followed by water quenching exhibits enhanced mechanical properties, including high yield strength of 762 ± 31 MPa, high ultimate tensile strength of 852 ± 37 MPa, and moderate elongation of 15.7 ± 1.4%. The enhanced performance of Ti‐15Zr alloy is mainly attributed to the combined effects of transformation for α′ to α phase, grain coarsening, and decreased residual stress/dislocation density. This study provides fundamental insights for developing high‐performance titanium alloy dental implants through microstructure‐property optimization.