Ultrashort Laser Texturing for Tuning Surface Morphology and Degradation Behavior of the Biodegradable Fe–20Mn Alloy for Temporary Implants

• Published in: Advanced engineering materials Vol. 24; no. 6
• Main Authors: Biffi, Carlo Alberto, Fiocchi, Jacopo, Bregoli, Chiara, Gambaro, Sofia, Copes, Francesco, Mantovani, Diego, Tuissi, Ausonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2022
• Subjects: biodegradable metals; Fe-based alloys; laser surface modification; laser texturing; ultrafast laser processing
• ISSN: 1438-1656; 1527-2648
• DOI: 10.1002/adem.202101496

Biodegradable metallic alloys are promising materials for the development of temporary medical implants, including cardiovascular and orthopedic devices. The present work explores the surface modification of a biodegradable Fe–20Mn alloy by means of ultrashort laser texturing and the correlation between the laser‐induced surface morphology and the degradation behavior. In detail, the effect of different processing parameters on surface morphology is explored and compared with the unprocessed surface. It is found that laser texturing can tune the degradation rate, selectively inducing positive (+29%) or negative (−31%) change with respect to the untreated surface. Laser texturing, carried out under different conditions, can tune the degradation rate of FeMn biodegradable alloy for temporary implants. Laser power, emitted with ultrashort pulses, can modify the surface morphology without any significant microstructural and compositional changes: this makes possible to inducing positive (+29%) or negative (−31%) change of degradation with respect to the untreated surface.