Properties of Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces Porous Structures Fabricated via Selective Laser Melting

Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) exhibit the advantages of excessive smoothness, high specific surface area, and good internal interconnectivity. In this study, the porous structure of TPMS with varying porosity, cell size, gradient density, and gradient size is prepared via selective laser melting (SLM). The effects of these parameters on mechanical properties and failure forms of the structures are examined via compression tests and finite element simulation. The elastic modulus of TPMS lattice structures ranges from 3. 0-5. 5 GPa and the yield strength ranges from 54-159 MPa. This matches the mechanical properties of human bone tissue. The experimental results show that the porosity is the key factor affecting the mechanical properties of the structure, and the cell size has a slight effect. The compressive stiffness of Gyroid structures is higher than that of Primitive structures. The gradient structure further reduces the elastic modulus of the structure and shows different deformations and failure forms when compared to the single structure.