@article{63072,
  abstract     = {{<jats:p>Titanium alloys are widely employed for biomedical implants due to their high strength, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance, yet their lack of intrinsic antibacterial activity remains a major limitation. Incorporating copper, an antibacterial and β-stabilising element, offers a promising strategy to enhance implant performance. This study investigates Ti-6Al-7Nb modified with 1–9 wt.% Cu via in situ alloying during metal-based laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M), with the aim of assessing processability, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties. Highly dense samples (&gt;99.9%) were produced across all Cu levels, though chemical homogeneity strongly depended on processing parameters. Increasing Cu content promoted β-phase stabilisation, Ti2Cu precipitation, and pronounced grain refinement. Hardness and yield strength increased nearly linearly with Cu addition, while ductility decreased sharply at ≥5 wt.% Cu due to intermetallic formation, hot cracking, and brittle fracture. These results illustrate both the opportunities and constraints of rapid alloy screening via PBF-LB/M. Overall, moderate Cu additions of 1–3 wt.% provide the most favourable balance between mechanical performance, manufacturability, and potential antibacterial functionality. These findings provide a clear guideline for the design of Cu-functionalised titanium implants and demonstrate the efficiency of in situ alloy screening for accelerated materials development.</jats:p>}},
  author       = {{Steinmeier, Paul and Hoyer, Kay-Peter and Lopes Dias, Nelson Filipe and Zielke, Reiner and Tillmann, Wolfgang and Schaper, Mirko}},
  issn         = {{2073-4352}},
  journal      = {{Crystals}},
  keywords     = {{Biomaterial, In Situ Alloying, Titanium, Additive Manufacturing}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  title        = {{{In Situ Alloying of Ti-6Al-7Nb with Copper Using Laser Powder Bed Fusion}}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/cryst15121053}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}