Porosity Optimization Confers 3D-Printed Porous Tantalum Scaffolds with Superior Osteogenic Capability and Biocompatibility over Titanium Alloys

Porosity Optimization Confers 3D-Printed Porous Tantalum Scaffolds with Superior Osteogenic Capability and Biocompatibility over Titanium Alloys | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Porosity Optimization Confers 3D-Printed Porous Tantalum Scaffolds with Superior Osteogenic Capability and Biocompatibility over Titanium Alloys Yuqi liang, jin han, zhengcheng wang, desheng chen, zhigang bai, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7844895/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 30 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research → Version 1 posted 3 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objective: This study aimed to compare the osseointegration capacity, biocompatibility, and inflammatory response of 3D-printed tantalum (Ta) and titanium alloy (Ti) scaffolds, with a specific focus on isolating the effect of intrinsic material properties by employing identical pore sizes (200-1000 μm) and porosities (25%-95%). Methods: Ta and Ti scaffolds with controlled pore sizes and porosities were fabricated using 3D printing. Their physicochemical properties and biological performance were systematically evaluated to compare the two materials under architecturally identical conditions. Results:The key finding was that the material composition itself, independent of pore architecture, was a predominant factor governing cellular responses. While both materials supported osteogenesis, Ta scaffolds demonstrated superior osteogenic differentiation, mineralization, and cell adhesion at matched porosities and pore sizes. Gene expression analysis revealed that Ta promoted higher expression of key osteogenic markers (Runx2, Sp7, Bglap), whereas Ti scaffolds showed higher expression of Ctnnb1 and Axin2 and a slightly better anti-inflammatory profile. High porosity (85%, 95%) was generally beneficial for osteogenic activity in both materials. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the intrinsic properties of Ta and Ti significantly influence their biological performance beyond the effects of porosity and pore size. Ta exhibits superior overall osteogenic potential and cell adhesion, making it a promising candidate for orthopedic coatings. This direct comparison under identical topological conditions provides crucial insights for selecting and optimizing base materials for prosthetic implants. Trial registration：This study is a computer simulation/in vitro cell experiment/data analysis study, and does not involve human or animal experiments. Porous Tantalum 3D Printing Osteogenesis Biocompatibility Titanium Alloy Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 30 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Accepted 27 Nov, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 13 Nov, 2025 First submitted to journal 10 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7844895","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":543030092,"identity":"a06f36f2-1d8a-44f5-843e-cc06e89b404a","order_by":0,"name":"Yuqi liang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuqi","middleName":"","lastName":"liang","suffix":""},{"id":543030093,"identity":"4aa837fd-e1f9-4aa7-ba0e-4542a1eee588","order_by":1,"name":"jin han","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"People's Hospital of 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