Anovel,Ti-6A1-4V(Ti64)/Hydroxyapatite(HAat5%byweightconcentration)metal/ceramiccompositehasbeenfabricatedusingelectronbeampowderbedfusion(EPBF)additivemanufacturing(AM):specifically,thecommercialelectronbeammelting(EBMR)process.InadditiontosolidTi64andTi64/5%HAsamples,fourdifferentunitcell(model)open-cellularmeshstructuresfortheTi64/5%HAcompositewerefabricatedhavingdensitiesrangingfrom0.68to1.12g/cm^3,andcorrespondingYoung'smodulirangingfrom2.9to8.0GPa,andcompressivestrengthsrangingfrom-3to11MPa.ThesolidTi64/5%HAcompositeexhibitedanoptimaltensilestrengthof123MPa,andelongationof5.5%incontrasttoamaximumcompressivestrengthof875MPa.Boththesolidcompositeandmeshsamplesdeformedprimarilybybrittledeformation,withthemeshsamplesexhibitingerratic,brittlecrushing.Solid,EPBF-fabricatedTi64sampleshadaVickersmicroindentationhardnessof4.1GPawhiletheTi64/5%HAsolidcompositeexhibitedaVickersmicroindentationhardnessof6.8GPa.ThelowestdensityTi64/5%HAcompositemeshstrutsectionshadaVickersmicroindentationhardnessof7.1GPa.Opticalmetallography(OM)andseanningelectronmicroscopy(SEM)analysisshowedtheHAdispersoidstobehighlysegregatedalongdomainorgrainboundaries,buthomogeneouslydistributedalongalpha(hcp)plateletboundarieswithinthesedomainsintheTi64matrixforboththesolidandmeshcomposites.Thealphaplateletwidthvariedfrom-5μmintheEPBF-fabricatedTi64to-1.1μmfortheTi64/5%HAmeshstrut.TheprecursorHApowderdiameteraveraged5μm,incontrasttothedispersedHAparticlediametersintheTi64/5%HAcompositewhichaveraged0.5μm.ThisworkhighlightstheuseofEPBFAMasanovelprocessforfabricationofatruecompositestructure,consistingofaTi64matrixandinterspersedandexposedHAdomains,whichtotheauthorsknowledgehasnotbeenreportedbefore.Theresultsalsoillustratetheprospectsnotonlyforfabrica
