Boakye-Yiadom, SolomonAzgomi, Niyousha2020-05-112020-05-112019-122020-05-11https://hdl.handle.net/10315/37466The merger of metal 3D printing with a simple post-processing treatment to fabricate parts using Ti6Al4V medical-grade titanium alloy would prove very desirable for most biomedical applications. In this study, the effect of post-processing heat treatment on the microstructure and properties of 3D printed and conventionally manufactured Ti6Al4V medical-grade titanium alloy was investigated to determine the performance of the as printed and heat-treated parts. In general, heat treatment led to the growth of distinct continuous and discontinuous lath structures along prior grain boundaries as well as basketweave lath and V-shaped structures within the prior- grains. V-shaped and spherical structures were specific to 3D printed and conventional samples, respectively. Also, regarding the mechanical properties, 3D printed samples had better wear resistance as well as higher hardness compared to the conventional samples due to the presence of V-shaped structures.Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Electronic Thesis or Dissertation2020-05-11Additive manufacturingMaterialTitaniumTi6Al4VMicrostructureMechanical PropertiesHeat treatmentMetal 3D printingPost processing