This study focuses on the control of density and grain structure of a superelastic Ti-18Zr-14Nb (at. %) alloy subjected to laser powder bed fusion. It starts with the production and characterization of a Ti-18Zr-14Nb powder feedstock and printing of a series of calibration specimens. These specimens are next subjected to chemical, structural, phase and texture analyses in order to collect experimental data needed to build simulation-driven processing maps in the laser energy density–material build rate coordinates. The results of this study prove that, once calibrated, the simulation-driven processing maps can be used to relate the main LPBF parameters (laser power, scanning speed, hatching distance and layer thickness) to the density and grain structure of the printed material, and the process productivity (build rate). Even though this demonstration is made for a specific material–system combination (TiNbZr & TruPrint 1000), such a process mapping is feasible for any material–system combination and can, therefore, be exploited for the process optimization purposes and for manufacturing of functionally graded materials or parts with intentionally seeded porosity.

The paper compares the coatings produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) on commercially pure titanium and a novel superelastic alloy Ti-18Zr-15Nb (at. %) for implant applications. The PEO coatings were produced on both alloys in the identical pulsed bipolar regime. The properties of the coatings were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The PEO process kinetics was modeled based on the Avrami theorem and Cottrell equation using a relaxation method. The resultant coatings contain TiO₂, for both alloys, and NbO₂, Nb₂O₅, ZrO₂ for Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloy. The coating on the Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloy has a higher thickness, porosity, and roughness compared to that on cp-Ti. The values of the kinetic coefficients of the PEO process—higher diffusion coefficient and lower time constant for the processing of Ti-18Zr-15Nb—explain this effect. According to the electrochemical studies, PEO coatings on Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloy provide better corrosion protection. Higher corrosion resistance, porosity, and roughness contribute to better biocompatibility of the PEO coating on Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloy compared to cp-Ti.