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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Innovative design and compression performance of selective laser melting-printed tantalum artificial vertebral bodies

Yutao Zhang1 ,  Wurikaixi Aiyiti2* ,  Jintao Li1,2 ,  Yong Huang1,3 ,  Xiaohong Dong1
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1 Xinjiang Coal Mine Electromechanical Engineering Technology Research Center, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Xinjiang Institute of Engineering, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
2 Xinjiang Additive Remanufacturing Technology Key Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
3 Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology for Building Steel Structures of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
IJB, 025150133 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJB025150133
Received: 11 April 2025 | Accepted: 16 May 2025 | Published online: 16 May 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Tantalum (Ta) holds considerable potential for clinical applications in artificial vertebral bodies (AVBs) owing to its excellent biocompatibility. A novel Ta AVB structure was engineered by combining thin-walled structure topology optimization with lattice structure filling design methods. Three types of Ta AVBs—designated as AVB-1, AVB-2, and AVB-3—were fabricated using selective laser melting. The influence of sidewall curvature on the mechanical properties and deformation behavior of AVBs was investigated through compression tests and finite element analysis. The elastic modulus and yield strength of the Ta lattice structures ranged from 1.75 to 3.21 GPa and 31 to 65 MPa, respectively. Incorporating topologically thin walls enhanced the elastic modulus and yield strength by factors of 2.26–3.77 and 3–3.62, respectively. A decrease in sidewall curvature was associated with an increase in both elastic modulus and yield strength of the AVBs. Specifically, as the sidewall curvature decreased from 0.027 to 0 mm−1, the elastic modulus and yield strength increased by factors of 2.76 and 2.19, respectively. The yield strengths of the AVBs were comparable to those of human cortical bone. Among the three designs, AVB-2 exhibited the highest yield-strength-to-elastic-modulus ratio (0.029), compared to AVB-1 and AVB-3 (0.024 and 0.019, respectively), suggesting that the optimal sidewall curvature is 0.014 mm−1. AVB-2 effectively mitigated the stress shielding effect while maximizing the load-bearing capacity, indicating its significant potential for clinical applications.

 

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Tantalum
Selective laser melting
Artificial vertebral body
Lattice structure
Topology optimization
Funding
This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China under grant number 2023D01A86, the Scientific and Technological Research Projects in Key Areas of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, China under grant number 2024ABO49, and the Key Research and Development Program of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China under grant number 2023B01016.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing
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