Excellent compression strength and energy absorption of additively manufactured porous titanium with trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cell

Porous metals with excellent properties for lightweight structural applications and energy absorption are manufactured via additive manufacturing (AM). The 3D-Voronoi division method generates trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells as a new cell structure. Porous titanium specimens with trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells were prepared using the electron beam melting process. The normalized first maximum compressive strength of the [0001] direction was determined to be the highest, while the normalized first maximum compressive strength of the [ 2 ̅ 110 ] direction was the lowest. The bending moment of cell struts could be used to explain the anisotropic compressive strength. In addition, AM porous titanium with trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells had higher normalized first maximum compressive strength and energy absorption than AM porous titanium with truncated octahedron and rhombic dodecahedron cells. Porous titanium with trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells exhibits significantly larger anisotropy than truncated octahedron and rhombic dodecahedron cells. • Trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cell is a new cell structure similar to rhombic dodecahedron. • Porous titanium specimens with trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells have excellent first maximum compressive strength and energy absorption. • Porous titanium consisting of trapezo-rhombic dodecahedron cells exhibited large anisotropy.