Additive manufactured osseointegrated screws with hierarchical design

Bone screws are devices used to fix implants or bones to bones.However,conventional screws are mechanically fixed with thread and often face long-term failure due to poor osseointegration.To improve osseointegration,screws are evolving from solid and smooth to porous and rough.Additive manufacturing(AM)offers a high degree of manufacturing freedom,enabling the preparation of predesigned screws that are porous and rough.This paper provides an overview of the problems currently faced by bone screws:long-term loosening and screw breakage.Next,advances in osseointegrated screws are summarized hierarchically(sub-micro,micro,and macro).At the sub-microscale level,we describe surface-modification techniques for enhancing osseointegration.At the micro level,we summarize the micro-design parameters that affect the mechanical and biological properties of porous osseointegrated screws,including porosity,pore size,and pore shape.In addition,we highlight three promising pore shapes:triply periodic minimal surface,auxetic structure with negative Poisson ratio,and the Voronoi structure.At the macro level,we outline the strategies of graded design,gradient design,and topology optimization design to improve the mechanical strength of porous osseointegrated screws.Simultaneously,this paper outlines advances in AM technology for enhancing the mechanical properties of porous osseointegrated screws.AM osseointegrated screws with hierarchical design are expected to provide excellent long-term fixation and the required mechanical strength.

Stress protein expression in early phase spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury

Spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury is a stress injury to the spinal cord. Our previous studies using differential proteomics identified 21 differentially expressed proteins （n 〉 2） in rabbits with spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. Of these proteins, stress-related proteins included protein disulfide isomerase A3, stress-induced-phosphoprotein 1 and heat shock cognate protein 70. In this study, we established New Zealand rabbit models of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury by abdominal aorta occlusion. Results demonstrated that hind limb function initially improved after spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury, but then deteriorated. The pathological morphology of the spinal cord became aggravated, but lessened 24 hours after reperfusion. However, the numbers of motor neurons and interneurons in the spinal cord gradually decreased. The expression of protein disulfide isomerase A3, stress-induced-phosphoprotein 1 and heat shock cognate protein 70 was induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury. The expression of these proteins increased within 12 hours after reperfusion, and then decreased, reached a minimum at 24 hours, but subsequently increased again to similar levels seen at 6-12 hours, showing a characterization of induction-inhibition-induc- tion. These three proteins were expressed only in cytoplasm but not in the nuclei. Moreover, the expression was higher in interneurons than in motor neurons, and the survival rate of interneurons was greater than that of motor neurons. It is assumed that the expression of stress-related proteins exhibited a protective effect on neurons.

Customized reconstructive prosthesis design based on topological optimization to treat severe proximal tibia defect

A novel reconstructive prosthesis was designed with topological optimization(TO)and a lattice structure to enhance biomechanical and biological properties in the proximal tibia.The biomechanical performance was validated through finite element analysis(FEA)and biomechanical tests.The tibia with inhomogeneous material properties was reconstructed according to computed tomography images,and different components were designed to simulate the operation.Minimum compliance TO subject to a volume fraction constraint combined with a graded lattice structure was utilized to redesign the prosthesis.FEA was performed to evaluate the mechanical performances of the tibia and implants after optimization,including stress,micromotion,and strain energy.The results were analyzed by paired-samples t tests,and p<0.05 was considered significant.Biomechanical testing was used to verify the tibial stresses.Compared to the original group(OG),the TO group(TOG)exhibited lower stress on the stem,and the maximum von Mises stresses were 87.2 and 53.1 MPa,respectively,a 39.1%reduction(p<0.05).Conversely,the stress and strain energy on the tibia increased in the TOG.The maximum von Mises stress values were 16.4 MPa in the OG and 22.9 MPa in the TOG with a 39.6%increase(p<0.05),and the maximum SED value was 0.026 MPa in the OG and 0.042 MPa in the TOG,corresponding to an increase of 61.5%(p<0.05).The maximum micromotions in the distal end of the stem were 135μm in the OG and 68μm in the TOG,almost a 50%reduction.The stress curves of the biomechanical test coincided well with the FEA results.The TO approach can effectively reduce the whole weight of the prosthesis and improve the biomechanical environment of the tibia.It could also pave the way for next-generation applications in orthopedics surgery.

Chlorinated butyl rubber/two-step modified montmorillonite nanocomposites:Mechanical and damping properties

Montmorillonite(MMT) was modified by ultrasound and castor oil quaternary ammonium salt intercalation method to prepare a new type of organic montmorillonite(OMMT). The surface structure, particle morphology, interlayer distance, and thermal behavior of the samples obtained were characterized. The modified OMMT was then added to chlorinated butyl rubber(CIIR) by mechanical blending, and a composite material with excellent damping properties was obtained. The mechanical experiment results of CIIR nanocomposites showed that the addition of OMMT improved their tensile strength, hardness,and stress relaxation rate. Compared with pure CIIR, when the content of OMMT was 5 phr(part per hundred of rubber), the tensile strength of the nanocomposite was increased by 677% and the elongation at break was also increased by 105.4%. The enhancement of this performance was mainly due to the dispersion of the nanosheets in CIIR rubber and the chemical interaction between the organoclay and the polymer matrix, which was confirmed by morphology and spectral analysis. OMMT also endowed a positive effect on the damping properties of CIIR nanocomposites. After adding 5 phr of OMMT, the nanocomposite owned the best damping performance, and the damping factor, tanδmax, was 37.9% higher than that of pure CIIR. Therefore, the good damping and mechanical properties of these CIIR nanocomposites provided some novel and promising methods for preparing high-damping rubber in a wide temperature range.

Numerical analysis of the interaction of 3D compressible bubble clusters

Based on the bubble dynamic theory and the compressible two-phase flow solver of the open source software OpenFOAM, a numerical simulation study is carried out on the interactions of bubble clusters in a closed volume. The bubble dynamics and interactions of a single bubble, two bubbles, and four bubbles are investigated under the working conditions without and with the presence of a free surface. Through a parametric study, the qualitative patterns of the variations of the bubble collapse period, the volume compressibility, the bubble pressure peak value, and the breakdown, fusion, and separation phenomena with the parameters such as the bubble pressure, the radius size, the bubble spacing, and the distance from the free surface are obtained. The main factors affecting the bubble morphology and the dynamic characteristics are summarized from numerous parameter experiments. It is shown that, in the absence of a free surface, the main factors are the relative size of the bubbles, the pressure of the liquid, and the pressure differences among the bubbles, while in the presence of a free surface, the main factor is the pressure of the liquid between the upper surface of the bubble and the free surface.

Effects of leaf litter extraction fluid from dominant forest tree species on functional characteristics of soil microbial communities

The effects of extraction fluids from the leaf litter from different dominant tree species on the functional characteristics of the soil microbial community were studied to understand how changes in soil quality and synergism between plants and soil contribute to the process of forest succession. Leaf litter from dominant tree species at different stages of succession were collected and extracted with sterile deionized water. After treating the soil of abandoned land with the different extraction fluids, we analyzed changes in carbon utilization of the soil microbial community in Biolog EcoPlates, then considered these results with those of our previous study on forest vegetation succession in the Malan forest. The leaf litter enhanced the metabolic capacity and functional diversity of the soil microbes, especially in the following combinations： the leaf litter of Quercus liaotungensis-Pinus tabulae- formis, P. tabulaeformis-Betula platyphylla, Q. liaotun- gensis and P. tabulaeformiss. Second, when litter from onespecies evaluated, the species enhanced metabolism and diversity in the order of their successional relationship： B. Platyphylla 〈 P. tabulaeformis 〈 Q. liaotungensis. After soils were treated with different leaf litters at 25 ℃ for 7 days, the sorting pattern of the PCA values, based on the similarity of carbon source utilization by the soil microbes, corresponded to the successional pattern on the basis of the similarity of community composition of forest plants. Thus, changes in soil properties caused by leaf litter from different dominant trees probably play a unique role in the successional pattern of a forest community. We thus pro- pose a successional mechanism that underlies the natural succession process within the Malan forest region. When the dominant forest species of the climax successional stage develops during the early successional stages, its forest litter probably alters soil properties such that the soil becomes unsuitable for the gradual growth and regenera- tion of the original dominant tree species but promotes the growth and establishment of later-invasive plants. In this way, the originally dominant species is replaced by the newly dominant tree species during forest succession.

A numerical study on pattern selection in crystal growth by using anisotropic lattice Boltzmann-phase field method

Pattern selection during crystal growth is studied by using the anisotropic lattice Boltzmann-phase field model.In the model,the phase transition,melt flows,and heat transfer are coupled and mathematically described by using the lattice Boltzmann(LB)scheme.The anisotropic streaming-relaxation operation fitting into the LB framework is implemented to model interface advancing with various preferred orientations.Crystal pattern evolutions are then numerically investigated in the conditions of with and without melt flows.It is found that melt flows can significantly influence heat transfer,crystal growth behavior,and phase distributions.The crystal morphological transition from dendrite,seaweed to cauliflower-like patterns occurs with the increase of undercoolings.The interface normal angles and curvature distributions are proposed to quantitatively characterize crystal patterns.The results demonstrate that the distributions are corresponding to crystal morphological features,and they can be therefore used to describe the evolution of crystal patterns in a quantitative way.

Pyridine terminated polyurethane dendrimer/chlorinated butyl rubber nanocomposites with excellent mechanical and damping properties

Due to the special viscoelastic property, traditional rubber with high performance has been widely used in human life and production. However, it is challenging to improve the damping property without sacrificing the extensibility. In this work, a novel type of second-generation polyurethane dendrimer terminated with pyridine(G2-Py) was synthesized by using thiolactone chemistry and subsequently complexed with Zn ions. The structure and morphology of G2-Py were characterized. G2-Py-Zn2+was then mixed with chlorinated butyl rubber(CIIR) by a two-roll mill. A series of CIIR/G2-Py-Zn2+elastomers were obtained through vulcanization. CIIR/G2-Py-Zn2+elastomers could achieve high stretchability(a strain of ~1035%), high mechanical strength(a tensile stress of 7.64 MPa). This was benefitted from the friction between G2-Py and CIIR as well as variety of non-covalent bonds provided by G2-Py-Zn2+,which can dissipate energy to further improve the strength and extensibility. The coordination of Zn2+-pyridine was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, stress relaxation and cycle tensile test. To further investigate the morphology and damping properties of the elastomers, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis were performed. CIIR-5 showed the best damping performance with higher tan δ_(max) and wider effective damping temperatures. Therefore, this dendrimer modification technology provides wider applications for CIIR elastomers in daily life.

Assimilation of Ocean Surface Wind Data by the HY-2B Satellite in GRAPES: Impacts on Analyses and Forecasts

The ocean surface wind(OSW)data retrieved from microwave scatterometers have high spatial accuracy and represent the only wind data assimilated by global numerical models on the ocean surface,thus playing an important role in improving the forecast skills of global medium-range weather prediction models.To improve the forecast skills of the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System Global Forecast System(GRAPES_GFS),the HY-2B OSW data is assimilated into the GRAPES_GFS four-dimensional variational assimilation(4DVAR)system.Then,the impacts of the HY-2B OSW data assimilation on the analyses and forecasts of GRAPES_GFS are analyzed based on one-month assimilation cycle experiments.The results show that after assimilating the HY-2B OSW data,the analysis errors of the wind fields in the lower-middle troposphere(1000-600 hPa)of the tropics and the southern hemisphere(SH)are significantly reduced by an average rate of about 5%.The impacts of the HY-2B OSW data assimilation on the analysis fields of wind,geopotential height,and temperature are not solely limited to the boundary layer but also extend throughout the entire troposphere after about two days of cycling assimilation.Furthermore,assimilating the HY-2B OSW data can significantly improve the forecast skill of wind,geopotential height,and temperature in the troposphere of the tropics and SH.

Global Energetics of Solar Powerful Events on 2017 September 6

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections(CMEs)are thought to be the most powerful events on the Sun.They can release energy as high as~10^(32)erg in tens of minutes,and also can release solar energetic particles(SEPs)into interplanetary space.We explore global energy budgets of solar major eruptions that occurred on 2017 September 6,including the energy partition of a powerful solar flare,and the energy budget of the accompanying CME and SEPs.In the wavelength range shortward of~222 nm,a major contribution of the flare radiated energy is in the soft X-ray(SXR)0.1-7 nm domain.The flare energy radiated at wavelengths of Lyαand mid-ultraviolet is larger than that radiated in the extreme ultraviolet wavelengths,but it is much less than that radiated in the SxR waveband.The total flare radiated energy could be comparable to the thermal and nonthermal energies.The energies carried by the major flare and its accompanying CME are roughly equal,and they are both powered by the magnetic free energy in the NOAA AR 12673.Moreover,the CME is efficient in accelerating SEPs,and the prompt component(whether it comes from the solar flare or the CME)contributes only a negligible fraction.

Ground–Space–Sky Observing System Experiment during Tropical Cyclone Mulan in August 2022

Forecasting tropical cyclone track and intensity is a great challenge for the meteorological community,and safeguarding the life and property of people living near the coast is an important issue.One major reason for challenging forecasts is the lack of observations over the vast oceans.During tropical cyclone Mulan between 8 and 10 August 2022 over the northern part of the South China Sea,the meteorological authority and research institutes of Chinese mainland collaborated with the meteorological service in Hong Kong on conducting the first-ever ground–space–sky observing system experiment on tropical cyclone Mulan.The enhanced targeted observations collected during the experiment include Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder,round-trip radiosondes,and aircraft-launched dropsondes.This paper describes the campaign,technical details of the meteorological models used,and impact of the additional targeted observation data on the tropical cyclone forecast.Ideally,similar enhanced observation campaigns could be conducted in the future,not only in the northern part of the South China Sea,but also in other ocean basins.

Strengthening Porous PVA with TiO_2 Structure by an Ice-Templating Method

A poly vinyl alcohol（PVA） scaffold with aligned porous is strengthened by in-situ combining with TiO2. The increased freezing rate can be used to further increase the strength of aligned porous materials. The strengthened porous PVA exhibits aligned interconnected porous structures and shows a significant enhancement in tensile testing and compression strength testing.

Clinical Observation on 34 Cases of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis Treated with Shenlian Twelve Flavors

[Objectives]The research aimed to observe the curative effect of Shenlian Twelve Flavors in treating CAG patients with spleen deficiency and blood stasis toxin.[Methods]66 cases of CAG patients with spleen deficiency and blood stasis toxin were selected,32 cases in the control group and 34 cases in the observation group were generated according to the random number table method.The control group was treated with Moluodan;the observation group was treated with Shenlian Twelve Flavors.After treatment,the effective rate,TCM symptom score,gastroscopic score,pathological score,serum gastrin 17(G-17)level,and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.[Results]The total effective rates of control group and observation group were 84.37%and 91.18%,respectively,and there was no statistical significance between the two groups(P>0.05).For the improvement of TCM symptom score,both groups were improved significantly compared with that before treatment,and observation group was better than control group(P<0.05).For the improvement of gastroscopic score,both groups were improved compared with that before treatment,and observation group was better than control group(P<0.05).For the improvement of pathological scores,both groups were improved compared with that before treatment,but there was no statistical significance between the two groups(P>0.05).[Conclusions]Shenlian Twelve Flavors has definite clinical efficacy in the treatment of CAG with spleen deficiency and blood stasis toxin.It could improve clinical symptoms,delay pathological progress,and regulate the level of G-17.There is no obvious adverse reaction,and it is worthy of clinical reference.

Bioinspired Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Coating on Titanium Alloy with Hierarchical Structure for Modulating Cellular Functions

3D-printed Porous Titanium Alloy Implants(pTi),owing to their biologically inertness and relatively smooth surface morphology,adversely affect the biological functions of surrounding cells.To address the challenges,constructing a bioinspired interface that mimics the hierarchical structure of bone tissue can enhance the cellular functions of cells.In this context,Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles(HMSNs),renowned for their unique physicochemical properties and superior biocompatibility,offer a promising direction for this research.In this research,the initially synthesized HMSNs were used to construct a“hollow-mesoporous-macroporous”hierarchical bioinspired coating on the pTi surface through the Layer-by-Layer technique.Simultaneously,diverse morphologies of coatings were established by adjusting the deposition strategy of PDDA/HMSNs on the pTi surface(pTi-HMSN-2,pTi-HMSN-4,pTi-HMSN-6).A range of techniques were employed to investigate the physicochemical properties and regulation of cellular biological functions of the diverse HMSN coating strategies.Notably,the pTi-HMSN-4 and pTi-HMSN-6 groups exhibited the uniform coatings,leading to a substantial enhancement in surface roughness and hydrophilicity.Meantime,the coating constructed strategy of pTi-HMSN-4 possessed commendable stability.Based on the aforementioned findings,both pTi-HMSN-4 and pTi-HMSN-6 facilitated the adhesion,spreading,and pseudopodia extension of BMSCs,which led to a notable upsurge in the expression levels of vinculin protein in BMSCs.Comprehensive analysis indicates that the coating,when PDDA/HMSNs are deposited four times,possesses favorable overall performance.The research will provide a solid theoretical basis for the translation of HMSN bioinspired coatings for orthopedic implants.

Bioinspired 4D Printing Shape-Memory Polyurethane Rhinoplasty Prosthesis for Dynamic Aesthetic Adjustment

The disparity between the postoperative outcomes of rhinoplasty and the expected results frequently necessitates secondary or multiple surgeries as a compensatory measure,greatly diminishing patient satisfaction.However,there is renewed optimism for addressing these challenges through the innovative realm of Four-Dimensional(4D)printing.This groundbreaking technology enables three-dimensional objects with shape-memory properties to undergo predictable transformations under specific external stimuli.Consequently,implants crafted using 4D printing offer significant potential for dynamic adjustments.Inspired by worms in our research,we harnessed 4D printing to fabricate a Shape-Memory Polyurethane(SMPU)for use as a nasal augmentation prosthesis.The choice of SMPU was guided by its Glass Transition Temperature(Tg),which falls within the acceptable temperature range for the human body.This attribute allowed for temperature-responsive intraoperative self-deformation and postoperative remodeling.Our chosen animal model for experimentation was rabbits.Taking into account the anatomical structure of the rabbit nose,we designed and produced nasal augmentation prostheses with superior biocompatibility.These prostheses were then surgically implanted in a minimally invasive manner into the rabbit noses.Remarkably,they exhibited successful temperature-controlled in-surgery self-deformation according to the predetermined shape and non-invasive remodeling within a mere 9 days post-surgery.Subsequent histological evaluations confirmed the practical viability of these prostheses in a living organism.Our research findings posit that worm-inspired 4D-printed SMPU nasal prostheses hold significant promise for achieving dynamic aesthetic adjustments.

Effect of Temperature and Grain Boundary on Void Evolution in Irradiated Copper:A Phase-Field Study

The continued existence of high-energy radiation in nuclear reactors at high temperatures results in the formation of radiation-induced voids,which will further lead to inevitable swellings of polycrystalline structural components and thus premature failures.A deep understanding of the effect of temperature and grain boundary on void evolution in irradiated copper is significant for preventing this kind of failures.Here,the phase-field method was employed to study void evolution in irradiated copper under different temperatures and grain sizes.The results show that,due to the different sensitivities of point defect production rate and vacancy diffusion rate to temperature changes,both the nucleation-growth rate and the coarsening rate during void evolution increase first and then decrease with increasing temperature;moreover,the nucleation mechanism exhibits site-saturated nucleation at low temperatures while continuous nucleation at high temperatures.The presence of grain boundary can accelerate the emergence of void because grain boundaries can absorb more interstitials than vacancies.The finer the grain size,the stronger inhibitory effect of grain boundaries on the growth rate of void,due to the formation of void denuded zone near grain boundaries.At high temperatures,the growth rate of void in fine grains is significantly reduced due to the increase of vacancy diffusion rate and the enhancement of sink effect of grain boundary on vacancy.

The Nature of the Elongated Granulations and Stretched Dark Lanes in a Newly Emerging Flux Region

In this study,we explore the elongated granulations and stretched dark lanes within the emerging anti-Hale active region NOAA AR 12720.Utilizing high-resolution observations from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope,we discern a prevalence of elongated granules and stretched dark lanes associated with the emergence of new magnetic flux positioned between two primary opposing magnetic polarities.These elongated granulations and stretched dark lanes exhibit an alignment of strong transverse fields and a significant inclination angle.The endpoints of these features separate from each other,with their midpoints predominantly characterized by blueshifted signals in the photosphere.This suggests a close association between elongated granules and stretched dark lanes with the newly emerging flux.Additionally,we find that the stretched dark lanes display a more pronounced correlation with strong blueshifts and photospheric transverse magnetic fields compared to the elongated granulations.The transverse magnetic field within these stretched dark lanes reaches magnitudes of approximately 300-400 G,and the inclination angle demonstrates an“arch-like”pattern along the trajectory of the stretched dark lane.Based on these observed characteristics,we infer the presence of an emerging flux tube with an“arch-like”shape situated along the stretched dark lane.Consequently,we conclude that the stretched dark lanes likely represent manifestations of the emerging flux tube,while the elongated granulations may correspond to the gaps between the emerging flux tubes.

Understanding melt pool characteristics in laser powder bed fusion:An overview of single-and multi-track melt pools for process optimization

Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)has made significant progress in producing solid and porous metal parts with complex shapes and geometries.However,LPBF produced parts often have defects(e.g.,porosity,residual stress,and incomplete melting)that hinder its large-scale industrial commercialization.The LPBF process involves complex heat transfer andfluidflow,and the melt pool is a critical component of the process.The melt pool stability is a critical factor in determining the microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of LPBF produced metal parts.Furthermore,optimizing process parameters for new materials and designed structures is challenging due to the complexity of the LPBF process.This requires numerous trial-and-error cycles to minimize defects and enhance properties.This review examines the behavior of the melt pool during the LPBF process,including its effects and formation mechanisms.This article summarizes the experimental results and simulations of melt pool and identifies various factors that influence its behavior,which facilitates a better understanding of the melt pool's behavior during LPBF.This review aims to highlight key aspects of the investigation of melt pool tracks and microstructural characterization,with the goal of enhancing a better understanding of the relationship between alloy powder-process-microstructure-properties in LPBF from both single-and multi-melt pool track perspectives.By identifying the challenges and opportunities in investigating single-and multi-melt pool tracks,this review could contribute to the advancement of LPBF processes,optimal process window,and quality optimization,which ultimately improves accuracy in process parameters and efficiency in qualifying alloy powders.

Targeting PI3K/AKT signaling for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) is a chronic progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia with unknown causes. The incidence rate increases year by year and the prognosis is poor without cure.Recently, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3 K)/protein kinase B(PKB/AKT) signaling pathway can be considered as a master regulator for IPF. The contribution of the PI3 K/AKT in fibrotic processes is increasingly prominent, with PI3 K/AKT inhibitors currently under clinical evaluation in IPF. Therefore,PI3 K/AKT represents a critical signaling node during fibrogenesis with potential implications for the development of novel anti-fibrotic strategies. This review epitomizes the progress that is being made in understanding the complex interpretation of the cause of IPF, and demonstrates that PI3 K/AKT can directly participate to the greatest extent in the formation of IPF or cooperate with other pathways to promote the development of fibrosis. We further summarize promising PI3 K/AKT inhibitors with IPF treatment benefits, including inhibitors in clinical trials and pre-clinical studies and natural products, and discuss how these inhibitors mitigate fibrotic progression to explore possible potential agents, which will help to develop effective treatment strategies for IPF in the near future.

Microstructural homogeneity and mechanical behavior of a selective laser melted Ti-35Nb alloy produced from an elemental powder mixture

Although using elemental powder mixtures may provide broad alloy selection at low cost for selective laser melting(SLM), there is still a concern on the resultant microstructural and chemical homogeneity of the produced parts. Hence, this work investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of a SLM-produced Ti-35 Nb composite(in wt%) using elemental powder. The microstructural characteristics including ? phase, undissolved Nb particles and chemical homogeneity were detailed investigated.Nanoindentation revealed the presence of relatively soft undissolved Nb particles and weak interface bonding around Nb-rich regions in as-SLMed samples. Solid-solution treatment can not only improve chemical homogeneity but also enhance bonding through grain boundary strengthening, resulting in43 % increase in tensile elongation for the heat-treated Ti-35 Nb compared to the as-SLMed counterpart. The analyses of tensile fractures and shear bands further confirmed the correlation between the different phases and the ductility of Ti-35 Nb. In particular, the weak bonding between undissolved Nb and the matrix in the as-SLMed sample reduces its ductility while the ? grains in solid-solution treated Ti-Nb alloy can induce a relatively stable plastic flow therefore better ductility. This work sheds insight into the understanding of homogenization of microstructure and phases of SLM-produced alloys from an elemental powder mixture.