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J2-1729 New Conventional and Additive Manufactured Biodegradable Fe-Mn alloy with Tailored Biodegradability

 

The project is coordinated by  the Institute of Metals and Technologies (IMT). The project team that performs the research includes researchers at the following institutions:

  • Institute of Metals and Technology (IMT)
  • Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana (FS UL)
  • Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana (BF UL)

 

Project leader: 10842 – Matjaž Godec

Amount of effective hours of research work: 7407

Duration of the project: 01.07.2019 – 30.06-2022

Price category: C

Composition of the research group:

Nova biorazgradljiva Fe-Mn zlitina izdelana z konvencionalnim postopkom in s postopkom dodajnih tehnologij s prilagojeno biorazgradljivostjo (cobiss.net)

Composition of the research group

Biodegradable metallic materials are bioactive materials with a temporary support function and an ability to gradually degrade without a negative impact on the organism. Three groups of materials, Mg-, Zn- and Fe-based alloys, are being developed in this field, but each of them has at least one important drawback. The proposed project deals with developing new, biodegradable, Fe-Mn alloys that possess excellent mechanical properties, making them ideal candidates for applications where long-term support is needed. The main drawback of Fe-Mn alloys is their slow degradation rate. In the project we will focus on the development of Fe-Mn alloys with accelerated biodegradability.

The proposed research project focusses on the development of application-specific, biocompatible, and highly absorbable austenitic Fe-Mn alloys with the aim to tailor their degradation rate. In the conventional metallurgy route we will focus on different approaches, namely chemical alloying, grain-boundary engineering and surface laser texturing. Based on grain-boundary engineering we will increase the grain boundaries that are less corrosion resistant while decreasing the number of highly corrosion resistant, coherent grain boundaries. This can be obtained by a combination of deformation and recrystallization with the aim to increase the number of grain nuclei and decrease their growth rate. The determination of the appropriate parameters for thermomechanical treatment will be one subject of the present project. Parallel to conventional metallurgy route selected as-cast Fe-Mn alloy will be used to produce powders as starting materials in additive manufacturing (AM) route. The AM technology allows us to build porous and hollow structures for cardiovascular stents and also for other orthopaedic implants with a temporary support function and an increased surface area. This allows achieving an increased corrosion rate and superior tissue regeneration. Furthermore, particular alloying, e.g. with silver, allows to achieve anti-bacterial properties. The porous implant structure enables the enhanced ingrowth of tissue cells. Proper SLM processing parameters will be selected to obtain a hierarchical structure with tailored mechanical properties and increased bio-absorbability. To this end we will explore the possibilities to form a dislocation sub-structure with high chemical segregation. Corrosion will be further increased by mixing metal powders with different redox potentials.

The proposed project brings new aspects to the design of bio-absorbable metallic materials for biomedical applications by introducing new production routes, both deviating from the conventional metallurgical approach. On one side, a conventional metallurgical approach is combined with surface laser texturing. On the other side additive manufacturing based on powder bed laser fusion is applied. These approaches open up completely new design possibilities for the development of new bioabsorbing metals that have a great potential to become important for a diversity of biomedical applications. In this way, the proposed research enables completely new research directions based on an interdisciplinary approach combining photonics, materials science and medicine, which is also in line with the European Commission’s strategy. Absorbable and custom-made implants eliminate additional surgical procedures and will, therefore, significantly shorten the total rehabilitation time. Moreover, such implants will contribute to a better quality of the patient’s life, a lower mortality rate and help to reduce additional medical costs.

 

To achieve the main goal of the research project, i.e., increasing the corrosion rate of Fe-Mn alloys, we propose the following three objectives:

Objective 1: To develop new Fe-Mn alloys by a conventional metallurgical route. We will tailor degradability and optimal mechanical properties through the following three approaches:

  • By using alloying elements, such as C, P, S, Cu, Pd and others, that will affect the corrosion by segregation to the grain boundaries or by forming regions with different redox potentials.
  • By grain-boundary engineering to increase the grain boundaries that are less corrosion resistant and additionally decreasing the number of grain boundaries that are beneficial for corrosion resistance. This can be obtained by subjecting the steel to severe deformation, so that many dislocations are accumulated, followed by a low-temperature heat treatment for a long time in order to achieve recrystallization, where the majority of the grain boundaries are non-coherent.
  • By surface laser texturing, where the interaction between laser radiation and the metallic surface usually results in super-omniphilicity, as a consequence of laser ablation that induces micro-channels and nanostructured metal oxides.

Objective 2: To develop an additive manufacturing (AM) process for Fe-Mn alloys. We will prepare powders from Fe-Mn alloys developed via a conventional metallurgical route by water and gas atomisation. The samples will be produced by selective laser melting (SLM). The developed samples will serve for studying the microstructure and for mechanical testing. Again, three different approaches will be used to increase the degradation rate:

  • By choosing the proper SLM processing parameters, a hierarchical structure will be formed with tailored mechanical properties and decreased corrosion resistance. We will explore the possibilities of forming a dislocation sub-structure with high chemical segregation.
  • By mixing different nano particles to Fe-Mn powder the conditions for corrosion will be improved by exploiting their different redox potentials. Ag powder will be added to achieve anti-bacterial properties.
  • Additionally, AM technology will enable us to increase the surface area that leads to superior bone-tissue regeneration. By "increasing the surface area" we mean changing the surface topography as well as building a 3D object with a porous structure.

Objective 3: The proof of concept. Two items will be produced and tested to show the application potential for further development and reaching a higher TRL. One will be produced from an Fe-Mn alloy using a conventional metallurgical route and the other one will be a 3D-printed (AM) porous Fe-Mn temporary implant that combines the desired mechanical and corrosion properties.

Project schema

Shema projekta

 

Publications

MEDE, Tijan, KOCJAN, Andraž, PAULIN, Irena, GODEC, Matjaž. Laser powder-bed fusion of biodegradable Fe–Mn alloy : melt-pool solidifcation. Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing. 2022, vol. 128, article 739, str. 1-13, ilustr. ISSN 0947-8396. https://link.springer.com/journal/339/volumes-and-issues/128-8, DOI: 10.1007/s00339-022-05851-z. [COBISS.SI-ID 117589251], [JCRSNIPWoSScopus]
kategorija: 1A2 (Z, A1/2); uvrstitev: SCIE, Scopus, MBP (COMPENDEX, INSPEC, METADEX); tip dela je verificiral OSICT
točke: 20.56, št. avtorjev: 4

KRANER, Jakob, MEDVED, Jože, GODEC, Matjaž, PAULIN, Irena. Thermodynamic behavior of Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn-Ag powder mixtures during selective laser melting. Metals. 2021, iss. 2, vol. 11, str. 1-12, ilustr. ISSN 2075-4701. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/2/234, DOI: 10.3390/met11020234. [COBISS.SI-ID 49402627], [JCRSNIPWoS do 14. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 6, čistih citatov (CI): 5, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,25, Scopus do 8. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 6, čistih citatov (CI): 5, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,25]
kategorija: 1A2 (Z, A1/2); uvrstitev: SCIE, Scopus, MBP (DOAJ, INSPEC, METADEX, PUBMED); tip dela je verificiral OSICT
točke: 23.45, št. avtorjev: 4

DONIK, Črtomir, KRANER, Jakob, KOCIJAN, Aleksandra, PAULIN, Irena, GODEC, Matjaž. Evolution of the epsilon and gama phases in biodegradable Fe-Mn alloys produced using laser powder-bed fusion. Scientific reports. 2021, vol. 11, 10 str., ilustr. ISSN 2045-2322. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-99042-0, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99042-0. [COBISS.SI-ID 80302083], [JCRSNIPWoS do 14. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 6, čistih citatov (CI): 5, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,00, Scopus do 2. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 6, čistih citatov (CI): 5, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,00]
kategorija: 1A1 (Z, A', A1/2); uvrstitev: SCIE, Scopus, MBP (BIOABS, BIOPREW, CAB, DOAJ, GEOREF, MEDLINE, PUBMED, ZR); tip dela je verificiral OSICT
točke: 20, št. avtorjev: 5

Keynote lecture

135. GODEC, Matjaž. Enhanced biodegradability of an Fe-Mn aaloy using a microstructural apporach and by modifying the surface with laser ablation : predavanje na: Global Congress & Expo on Biomaterials, 140th Conference Scientific Federation, May 13-14, 2019, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [COBISS.SI-ID 1581482]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 1, št. avtorjev: 1

Invited lectures

134. GODEC, Matjaž, PAULIN, Irena, DONIK, Črtomir, BURJA, Jaka, HOČEVAR, Matej, GREGORČIČ, Peter, KOCIJAN, Aleksandra. Different approaches to achieving biodegradability for the Fe-Mn alloy : TMS 2020, 149th Annual meeting & Exhibition, February 23-27, 2020, San Diego, California, USA. [COBISS.SI-ID 1584810]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 0.14, št. avtorjev: 7

38. GODEC, Matjaž, PAULIN, Irena, DONIK, Črtomir, HOČEVAR, Matej, BURJA, Jaka, GREGORČIČ, Peter, KOCIJAN, Aleksandra. Different approaches to achieving biodegradability with an Fe-Mn alloy. V: GODEC, Matjaž (ur.), et al. Program in knjiga povzetkov = Program and book of abstracts. 27. Mednarodna konferenca o materialih in tehnologijah, 16.-18. oktober 2019, Portorož, Slovenija = 27th International Conference on Materials and Technology, 16-18 October 2019, Portorož, Slovenia. Ljubljana: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije, 2019. F. 52. ISBN 978-961-94088-3-4. http://mit.imt.si/Revija/izvodi/mit194/BookOfAbstracts_27ICM&T.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 1514410]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 0.29, št. avtorjev: 7

Lectures

68. ZAEFFERER, Stefan, GODEC, Matjaž, PODGORNIK, Bojan, ŠINKO, Mario, TCHERNYCHOVA, Elena. Hierarchical structure formation of additive manufactured 316L stainless steel using industrial selective laser melting process parameters. V: GODEC, Matjaž (ur.), et al. Program in knjiga povzetkov = Program and book of abstracts. 27. Mednarodna konferenca o materialih in tehnologijah, 16.-18. oktober 2019, Portorož, Slovenija = 27th International Conference on Materials and Technology, 16-18 October 2019, Portorož, Slovenia. Ljubljana: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije, 2019. F. 53. ISBN 978-961-94088-3-4. http://mit.imt.si/Revija/izvodi/mit194/BookOfAbstracts_27ICM&T.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 1517482]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 0.4, št. avtorjev: 5

63. KRANER, Jakob, MEDVED, Jože, GODEC, Matjaž, PAULIN, Irena. Characterization of metal powders. V: GODEC, Matjaž (ur.), et al. Program in knjiga povzetkov = Program and book of abstracts. 27. Mednarodna konferenca o materialih in tehnologijah, 16.-18. oktober 2019, Portorož, Slovenija = 27th International Conference on Materials and Technology, 16-18 October 2019, Portorož, Slovenia. Ljubljana: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije, 2019. F. 96. ISBN 978-961-94088-3-4. [COBISS.SI-ID 1836127]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 0.5, št. avtorjev: 4

Conference contibution

69. DONIK, Črtomir, PAULIN, Irena, KOCIJAN, Aleksandra, GODEC, Matjaž. Impact of different chemical composition on biodegradablility of Fe-Mn alloys. V: GODEC, Matjaž (ur.), et al. Program in knjiga povzetkov = Program and book of abstracts. 27. Mednarodna konferenca o materialih in tehnologijah, 16.-18. oktober 2019, Portorož, Slovenija = 27th International Conference on Materials and Technology, 16-18 October 2019, Portorož, Slovenia. Ljubljana: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije, 2019. F. 44. ISBN 978-961-94088-3-4. http://mit.imt.si/Revija/izvodi/mit194/BookOfAbstracts_27ICM&T.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 1517226]
kategorija: SU (S)
točke: 0.5, št. avtorjev: 4