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Additively manufactured functionally graded biodegradable porous zinc
Y Li1, P Pavanram2, J Zhou1
1Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 CD, The Netherlands. y.li-7@tudelft.nl.
Biomaterials Science
|January 30, 2020
Summary
Topological design of additively manufactured porous zinc (Zn) biomaterials precisely controls biodegradation and mechanical properties. This offers a promising, tunable approach for bone substitutes with enhanced performance and biocompatibility.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
- Materials Science
Background:
- Bone substitutes require tailored biodegradation and mechanical properties.
- Additively manufactured (AM) porous metals offer tunable characteristics.
- Zinc (Zn) shows superior biodegradation compared to magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of topological design on AM porous zinc's performance.
- To evaluate biodegradation, mechanical properties, permeability, and biocompatibility of AM porous Zn.
- To determine the suitability of AM porous Zn as a bone substitute.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of AM porous zinc specimens with diamond unit cells using powder bed fusion.
- Comprehensive in vitro study of static and dynamic biodegradation behaviors.
- Assessment of mechanical properties, permeability, and cellular activity (biocompatibility).
Main Results:
- Topological design significantly influenced biodegradation rates (150% variation).
- Weight loss ranged from 7-12% after 28 days, aligning with 1-2 year degradation targets.
- Mechanical properties remained comparable to cancellous bone, with yield strength increasing post-degradation.
- Excellent biocompatibility was observed, with no significant difference in cellular activity compared to titanium controls.
Conclusions:
- Topological design is a powerful tool for controlling AM porous zinc's mechanical properties and degradation.
- AM porous zinc demonstrates significant promise as a tunable bone substitute material.
- The flexibility offered by topological design allows for customization to meet diverse clinical needs.
