from the conferences organized by TANGER Ltd.
This study investigates the feasibility of processing the Zn0.4Mg0.4Ca alloy using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) for potential application in biodegradable medical implants. As part of the initial phase of a broader research effort, five test samples were successfully printed and subjected to basic material characterization. Microhardness measurements yielded an average of 115.2 HV1, significantly exceeding the hardness of pure zinc, indicating the strengthening effect of the alloying elements. Surface roughness analysis revealed significant anisotropy, with Ra values of 10.76 µm parallel and 25.69 µm perpendicular to the build layers, underscoring the need for additional surface post-processing. The measured density was high and slightly exceeded theoretical expectations, indicating excellent structural compaction and low porosity. These findings confirm the alloy’s printability and provide a solid foundation for future research focused on printing and evaluating specific implant geometries, including mechanical, microstructural, and biocompatibility assessments.
Keywords: Biodegradable implants, zinc alloy, selective laser melting additive technology© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.