Processing of biodegradable Zn alloys: Thermomechanical processes and Additive manufacturing
In recent years, attention has shifted towards Zn-based biodegradable materials due to
promising biodegradability and adaptability to tissue regeneration. However, the mechanical
properties of Zn cannot meet the benchmark values for biodegradable implants. The most
targeted applications for biodegradable metals can be summarized in two categories:
cardiovascular stenting and bone fixation devices. Development of new Zn bioalloys with
enhanced mechanical properties for both stent and scaffold applications, while simultaneously
preserving a suitable degradation rate and biocompatibility, is the main target of this project.
For the stent application, proper thermomechanical processing is necessary to be compromised.
For bone fixation targets, the idea is to fabricate a porous structure through additive
manufacturing with sufficient mechanical properties.