Near-net-shape manufacturing of highly porous titanium parts for biomedical applications

The production of highly porous titanium parts is attractive for biomedical applications. Preferrentially, these parts are produced by powdermetallurgical means using suitable spacer materials. Porosities up to 75 % and well defined pore sizes in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mm. are achieved adjusting the amount and the particle size of the spacer material. Up to now, near-net-shape manufacturing of highly porous parts was hindered by the plastic deformation of the sintered network during machining leading to a partial or complete closing of the open porosity. A new manufacturing route is presented, where the shaping is already done in the unsintered state starting from pressed compacts. The stability of the compacts was found to be sufficient to machine the compacts without additional binders. The manufacturing route was successfully applied to the prototype of an acetabular cup. Additionally, some investigations are presented characterizing the highly porous titanium.