Degradation-adapted magnesium implants

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Berend Denkena
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 574476689

A degradation-oriented design is absolutely necessary for the broad use of resorbable magnesium implants. The milling process makes it possible to adjust the degradation process by modifying the surface and subsurface properties. By determining the correlation between the process variables during milling and the resulting surface and subsurface properties, such as the residual stress state and the roughness, a model for specific adjustment is developed. Subsequently, components with defined residual stress state and roughness values produced are used in in-vitro investigations. Geometry, surface and subsurface are analysed. For this purpose, a test bench is used, which enables these investigations under load. Parallel to these investigations a corrosion simulation model is being developed which takes into account the adjusted surface and subsurface modifications in a time-resolved way and allows predictions to be made about geometry, surface topography and residual stress changes in the progressing degradation process. The model is verified by comparison with the in-vitro investigations carried out previously. Finally, the model for the specific adjustment of the surface and subsurface properties as well as the verified corrosion simulation model are applied to an analogy implant in order to determine process parameters that enable a controlled degradation behaviour. The originality of the project is characterized by the modelling of the cause-and-effect relationships between manufacturing process parameters, surface and subsurface properties as well as the time-resolved degradation process, which allows a targeted design of implants.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants