Development of biodegradable iron-based alloys of the system Fe-Mn-C-(B, S) for the application as implant material

• Applicant: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Julia Kristin Hufenbach
• Subject Area: Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials and their Microstructural Origins
• Term: from 2015 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 277470500

Biodegradable metallic implant materials are increasingly gaining in significance for the aplication as temporary implants. This promotes the development of new as well as the further development of existing alloy systems and their comprehensive characterization. Due to the broad range of mechanical properties and the excellent processibility iron-based alloys are of great scientific and economic interest for stent application. In this project the influence of microalloying with boron or sulfur as well as the influence of higher cooling rates during solidification on the microstructure (e. g. phase formation, grain size), the mechanical properties (strength and formability), the degradation behavior (i. a. corrosion rate, corrosion mechanism) and the biological characteristics (e. g. cytotoxicity) on a Fe-30Mn-1C alloy shall be examined. Furthermore, generic stent demonstrators shall be build out of an alloy with great property potential by selective lasermelting (SLM) and subsequently be characterized. The aim is to develop novel iron-based alloys with an advantageous combination of mechanical, chemical and biological properties, which are quality-determining for the application as biodegradable stent. In addition, the processing of generic stent demonstrators with SLM as sustainable, technological and economical alternative shall be validated.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants