| Abstract Scope |
This study investigates the mechano-biological performance of laser powder bed fusion printed Ti6Al4V Schwarz diamond triply periodic minimal surface (SDW-TPMS) structures designed to mimic the heterogeneous properties of natural bone. Mechanical evaluations revealed a pronounced tension-compression asymmetry, where compressive failure demonstrated stable strut buckling, contrasting starkly with abrupt, defect-driven tensile failure. Following favorable in vitro pre-osteoblast maturation, an optimized 3.0 mm SDW-TPMS design was implanted into a rabbit femoral condyle defect model and benchmarked against an industrial standard plasma-coated bulk titanium control. Over a 12-week period, the interconnected porous network of the SDW-TPMS structures facilitated rapid, profound 3D bone ingrowth deep within the implant, significantly outperforming the limited 2D surface ongrowth observed on the bulk control, thereby validating these architectures for advanced load-bearing orthopedic applications. |