Self-assembled titanium-based macrostructures with hierarchical (macro-, micro-, and nano) porosities: A fundamental study

Wadge, Matthew D.; Agyakwa, Pearl A.; Felfel, Reda M.; Homer, Richard; Cooper, Timothy P.; Kudrynskyi, Zakhar R.; Lester, Edward; Ahmed, Ifty; Grant, David M.

Abstract

This study details the novel self-assembly of sodium titanate converted Ti-based microspheres into hierarchical porous 3D constructs, with macro-, micro-, and nanoporosity, for the first time. Ti6Al4V microspheres were suspended into 5 M NaOH (60 °C/24 h) solutions, with extensive variations in microsphere:solution ratios to modify microsphere interaction and initiate self-assembly through proximity merging of titanate surface dendritic growth. The formed structures, which either produced 1) unbonded, sodium titanate-converted microspheres; 2) flat (non-macroporous) scaffolds; or 3) open, hierarchically porous scaffolds, were then assessed in terms of their formation mechanism, chemical composition, porosity, as well as the effect of post-heat treatments on compressive mechanical properties. It was found that specific microsphere:solution ratios tended to form certain structures (<⅓ powder, 0.5 to 3 porous, >3 flat non-macroporous, >8 powder) due to a combination of microsphere freedom of movement, H2 gas bubble formation, and exposed surface reactivity. This promising discovery highlights the potential for lower temperature, simplistic production of 3D constructs with modifiable chemical properties due to the ion-exchange potential of titanate structures, with clear applications in a wide-range of fields, from medical materials to catalysts.

Citation

Wadge, M. D., Agyakwa, P. A., Felfel, R. M., Homer, R., Cooper, T. P., Kudrynskyi, Z. R., Lester, E., Ahmed, I., & Grant, D. M. (2024). Self-assembled titanium-based macrostructures with hierarchical (macro-, micro-, and nano) porosities: A fundamental study. Materials and Design, 240, Article 112835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2024.112835

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 8, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 11, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-04
• Deposit Date: Apr 5, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2024
• Journal: Materials and Design
• Print ISSN: 0261-3069
• Electronic ISSN: 0264-1275
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 240
• Article Number: 112835
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2024.112835
• Keywords: Self-assembly, Alkaline conversion, Sodium titanate, Nanoporous, Porous scaffold
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/32469940
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127524002077?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Self-assembled titanium-based macrostructures with hierarchical (macro-, micro-, and nano) porosities: A fundamental study; Journal Title: Materials & Design; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2024.112835; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.