Fe and Fe-P Foam for Biodegradable Bone Replacement Material: Morphology, Corrosion Behaviour, and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Iron and iron-phosphorus open-cell foams were manufactured by a replica method based on a powder metallurgical approach to serve as a temporary biodegradable bone replacement material. Iron foams alloyed with phosphorus were prepared with the aim of enhancing the mechanical properties and manipulating the corrosion rate. Two different types of Fe-P foams containing 0.5 wt.% of P were prepared: Fe-P(I) foams from a phosphated carbonyl iron powder and Fe-P(II) foams from a mixture of carbonyl iron and commercial Fe 3 P. The microstructure of foams was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties and the corrosion behaviour were studied by compression tests and potentiodynamic polarization in Hank’s solution and a physiological saline solution. The results showed that the manufactured foams exhibited an open, interconnected, microstructure similar to that of a cancellous bone. The presence of phosphorus improved the mechanical properties of the foams and decreased the corrosion rate as compared to pure iron foams.