Additive manufacturing of Mg alloys for degradable implants

Abstract

Mg alloys are promising for clinical implementation of high-strength, biodegradable implants for e.g. bone fixation. This keynote will highlight recent progress in additive manufacturing of such alloys, including tailoring Mg alloy compositions and process parameters to enhance printability, mechanical integrity, and corrosion performance, while addressing challenges such as vaporization, defect formation, and phase instability. Emerging strategies for achieving predictable degradation, improved biocompatibility, and clinically relevant implant architectures will be discussed. Indeed, while additive manufacturing of Mg alloys through Powder Bed Fusion with Laser Beam (PBF?LB) allows for high-resolution geometries and to some extent microstructural contral, the degradation behavior of printed parts still needs significant improvement.