Surface finishing of L-PBF Ti6Al4V ELI samples for biomedical applications by dry electro- and chemical polishing

This study outlines a surface finishing approach for Ti6Al4V samples specifically aimed at biomedical implant applications. The process involves initial dry electropolishing (DLyte) followed by chemical polishing (CP). Three samples were fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and were tested in relation to the orientation of the argon flow and powder feed direction. The effectiveness of the surface finishing process was evaluated with different combinations of polishing times. The combination of 120 minutes DLyte and 20 minutes CP achieved a surface roughness Ra ≤ 5 µm, meeting the requirements for biocompatibility, osseointegration and implant longevity.