Ti-5Fe spherical powder alloy prepared by electrode induction gas atomization processes (EIGA) for additive manufacturing of biomedical implants

This study demonstrated the viability of the electrode induction gas atomization process (EIGA) to produce spherical Ti-5Fe powder suitable for additive manufacturing. The resulting powder is spherical and presents no surface defects. Additionally, the iron distribution throughout the microstructure is homogenous and indicates similar particle size distribution and oxygen pick-up as the conventional Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy, thus demonstrating that the Ti-5Fe can achieve equal atomization behavior and powder outcome. The results of the study show how EIGA-type gas atomization can be an efficient scale-up route to produce Ti-5Fe low-cost titanium alloy powder for additive manufacturing, which offers a broader perspective into biomaterial application.