The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical and physicochemical properties of Ti6Al4V alloy samples produced using 3D printing (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) and bar after plastic working. Both sets of samples were subjected to various surface-processing methods, including sandblasting, heat treatment (hardening for 120 min at 820 ± 10 °C, followed by cooling to room temperature), mechanical polishing, and steam sterilization. This research included macroscopic surface evaluation before and after pitting corrosion resistance tests, metallographic microscopic research, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, as well as measurements of hardness, roughness, and surface wettability. The results showed that heat and surface treatment (grinding and mechanical polishing) significantly increased the material’s hardness and corrosion resistance. Furthermore, the steam sterilization process had a positive effect by increasing surface wettability, which is important for biomedical applications, as higher wettability promotes better integration with biological tissues. This is especially relevant in implantology, where surface properties influence osseointegration and overall biocompatibility. In summary, these findings indicate that the selection of manufacturing method and the application of subsequent treatment processes significantly affect the mechanical and physicochemical properties of Ti6Al4V alloy, thereby influencing its performance and suitability for diverse engineering and biomedical applications.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer which, due to its very high mechanical properties and high chemical resistance, has found application in the automotive, aerospace, chemical, food and medical (biomedical engineering) industries. Owing to the use of additive technologies, particularly the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) method, this material is the most widely used plastic to produce skull reconstruction implants, parts of dental implants and orthopedic implants, including spinal, knee and hip implants. PEEK enables the creation of personalized implants, which not only have greater elasticity compared to implants made of metal alloys but also resemble the physical properties of the cortical layer of human bone in terms of their mechanical properties. Therefore, the aim of this article is to characterize polyether ether ketone as an alternative material used in the manufacturing of implants in orthopedics and dentistry.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of heat and surface treatment on the physicochemical properties of samples produced using Direct Metal Sintering incremental technology from Ti64ELI titanium powder. Two groups of samples were selected for the study: sandblasted and mechanically polished samples. Each group consisted of samples in the initial state and after heat treatment carried out at temperatures of 800 °C, 910 °C, and 1020 °C. The article presents the results of microscopic metallographic observations, wettability and surface topography, hardness, and resistance to pitting corrosion in Ringer’s solution, together with microscopic evaluation of the surfaces before and after testing. Based on the test results, both heat and surface treatments were found to alter the functional properties of the printed samples. All the tested samples show hydrophilic properties. Heat treatment at 1020 °C produces the best resistance to pitting corrosion. This information is important when selecting the mechanical properties of the biomaterial and the physicochemical properties of the surface for a specific type of stabilizer. The choice of appropriate heat treatment and surface treatment of the implant will also depend on the length of time the implant remains in the body.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is currently one of the most significant wide-bandgap semiconductor materials, attracting extensive research across diverse fields including materials science, chemistry, physics, medicine, electronics, and power engineering. Its exceptional properties, such as high optical transparency, high electron mobility, chemical stability, and compatibility with low-cost fabrication techniques, have established ZnO as a versatile material with immense application potential. A critical application for ZnO is its role as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) in modern optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, as well as in sensors, transparent electronics, and spintronics. To meet the requirements of these advanced applications, precise control over the structural, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO thin films is essential. This is effectively achieved through the selection of specific synthesis methods and intentional modification techniques, such as doping. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and modification of ZnO thin films, with a particular focus on how various dopants influence their fundamental characteristics. The work discusses a range of deposition techniques, including physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), sol–gel methods, spray pyrolysis, and other solution-based approaches. The novelty of this review lies in its comparative analysis of different doping strategies combined with various thin-film deposition techniques, highlighting how specific synthesis routes influence dopant incorporation and ultimately determine functional properties. Furthermore, recent advances in tailoring ZnO thin films are summarized, alongside the identification of key challenges and future research directions. Ultimately, this work aims to provide researchers with a systematic perspective on the synthesis–structure–property relationships in doped ZnO thin films to support the development of optimized materials for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. This review, thus, serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers and engineers seeking to optimize the functionality of ZnO-based thin films for emerging technological applications.

PEEK (polyetheretherketone) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer which, thanks to its excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and high biocompatibility, is widely used in medicine, especially in biomedical engineering. The dynamic development of additive technologies, especially FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication), has enabled the production of personalized medical implants from PEEK, such as skull implants, dental implant components, and orthopedic implants like spine, knee and hip implants. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the polymer as an alternative material for orthopedic applications and to analyze the effect of annealing and soaking in PBS solution on its strength properties. Heat treatment improves the strength properties of the material. On the other hand, prolonged soaking in PBS solution, which simulates physiological conditions, can lead to changes in the interlayer bonds of the filament layers, which in turn affects the strength properties of the material.

Previous studies of nitrogen and carbonitride layers on titanium alloys have mainly focused on cast or wrought materials. These traditional manufacturing methods are increasingly being replaced by additive methods, which allow the geometry of the manufactured product to be personalized. In the case of multi-component structures, and implant systems in particular, the hardness and abrasion resistance of the surface are insufficient. Therefore, these surfaces must be modified to improve these properties. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the properties of surface-modified Ti64 ELI alloy samples produced by the additive Direct Metal Laser Sintering method. To increase the hardness and abrasion resistance of the surface, a diffusion layer of TiN was produced under glow discharge conditions on samples previously heat-treated at temperatures of 800 °C, 910 °C, and 1020 °C. Since these implants remain in the body, it is important to sterilize them beforehand. Therefore, this study included samples after steam sterilization, and the results were compared to unsterilized samples. This study evaluated the structure of the material, the phase composition of the layer, the topography and wettability of the surface, along with the surface energy (before sterilization θ_av > 106°), resistance to pitting corrosion, hardness, and tribological properties.