Electrolyte plasma polishing: A strategy for surface and mechanical enhancement of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4 V porous materials

Additively manufactured porous titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace and battery fabrication field due to their excellent structural controllability and high strength. However, residual oxide films and unmelted adherent particles on surfaces during additive manufacturing degrade mechanical properties, limiting their broader application. Consequently, this work employs an environmental and efficient electrolyte plasma polishing (EPPo) technique to polish additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4 V porous materials. The surface microstructure of specimen under different polishing time was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser scanning microscope (LSM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and 3D X-ray Microscope (XRM). Results indicate that when the specimen is polished for 30 min, achieving the best quality of surface. In terms of mechanical property, ultimate tensile strength of the Ti-6Al-4 V increased from 769 ± 25 MPa to 875 ± 15 MPa. According to the in-situ XRM tensile technology, the reduced surface roughness of polished specimen makes it less prone to stress concentration, delaying the initiation of surface cracks and enhancing mechanical properties. Hence, EPPo exhibits significant potential for polishing additively manufactured porous materials.