Additive manufacturing of zinc biomaterials opens new possibilities for biodegradable medical implants
Researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and multiple collaborating institutions are advancing the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to produce zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants.
Motivated by the need for temporary implants that naturally degrade in the body, thereby eliminating risks associated with long-term metal retention, the team investigated selective laser melting (SLM) and binder jetting as methods to process zinc and zinc oxide powders into patient-specific scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.
Their findings, published in Acta Biomaterialia, demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating porous zinc structures with tailored degradation rates and mechanical properties.
The study addresses key challenges in fabricating zinc structures via AM, including the metal’s low boiling point, high reflectivity, and tendency to oxidize.
These properties have historically complicated laser-based processing, limiting zinc’s use in load-bearing biomedical applications despite its attractive profile as a biodegradable, bioactive material.
Zinc as a next-generation biodegradable metal for AM
Zinc’s corrosion rate is slower than that of magnesium but significantly faster than iron, placing it in an ideal range for bioresorption over a clinically relevant time frame.
It also exhibits inherent antibacterial properties and plays a role in osteogenesis.
However, traditional manufacturing routes have struggled to produce complex, porous zinc scaffolds suitable for bone in-growth.
Additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of patient-specific, lattice-based implants with fine control over pore geometry, strut thickness, and internal architecture.
In this study, SLM was used to process zinc powder into porous structures, while inkjet printing of zinc oxide was followed by a post-processing step that included sintering and reduction to metallic zinc.
Both methods demonstrated potential to overcome the design limitations of conventional manufacturing, with implications for orthopedic and craniofacial implant design.(i) Schematic of a typical Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) machine, illustrating the inert atmosphere within the construction chamber and the direction of gas movement indicated by blue arrows.
(ii) (a) Typical Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process; (b) SLM process schematic showing the processing chamber and gas circulation system; (c) Parameters for processing.
(iii) Setup for the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) process.
(iv) (a) Schematic of an Electron Beam Melting (EBM) machine.
(v) Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process.
(vi) (a) Diagram of laser powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED) systems; (b) Schematic of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) equipment based on plasma arc welding.
(vii) Schematics for the Binder Jetting (BJ) process.
Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology.
Optimizing AM parameters for zinc processing
SLM processing required fine-tuning to mitigate evaporation and reduce porosity caused by keyhole formation.
The authors suggest that alloying zinc with elements such as magnesium, calcium, or silver may improve printability, mechanical performance, and degradation behavior.
With optimized parameters, the team achieved scaffolds with compressive strengths in the range of cancellous bone and interconnected pores that facilitate vascularization and cell migration.
Inkjet-based AM offered an alternative pathway, especially for producing lower-density structures with finer feature resolution.
However, it introduced challenges related to shrinkage and sintering-induced defects.
Despite these issues, both AM approaches enabled the fabrication of cytocompatible scaffolds that supported cell attachment and proliferation in vitro, meeting preliminary benchmarks for biocompatibility.
In vitro antibacterial activity: Bacterial morphology on the surface of samples after co-culture with (a) S.
aureus and (b) E.
coli (arrows tips indicated dead bacteria with broken and incomplete bacterial cell walls); (c) Images of S.
aureus and E.
coli on TSA after co-cultured with samples; (d) Antibacterial rates calculated by colony counting method; (e) Antibacterial abilities of the samples after incubation with PBS for 3, 7 days.
Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology.
Toward clinical translation and customized implants
The paper positions AM zinc devices as candidates for temporary bone fixation, load-sharing scaffolds, and biodegradable stents.
Unlike permanent metallic implants, these devices gradually degrade in the body, reducing long-term complication risks and eliminating the need for surgical removal.
Additive manufacturing’s digital design flexibility further supports the integration of patient-specific anatomical data, potentially reducing recovery times and improving treatment outcomes.
Looking ahead, the authors emphasize the need for further in vivo testing and alloy development to tune degradation rates and biofunctionality.
Hybrid AM strategies, such as combining inkjet-printed sacrificial templates with SLM overlays, may allow for functionally graded materials and composite structures.
Advancements in biodegradable implants
Recent advancements in 3D printing of zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants highlight the growing interest in utilizing AM to create patient-specific, bioresorbable metal implants.
This trend is part of a broader movement in the field of AM of bioresorbable metals, where researchers are exploring materials like magnesium, iron, and zinc to develop implants that safely degrade within the body over time.
One pertinent example is the work by engineers at Delft University of Technology, who have utilized extrusion-based 3D printing to fabricate biodegradable bone implants made of porous iron.
Similar to zinc, porous iron is biodegradable and has potential as a temporary bone substitute that degrades as new bone regrows, thereby reducing the risk of long-term inflammation associated with permanent metal implants.
The Delft team developed a purpose-built extrusion-based setup to overcome challenges related to the low biodegradation rate of bulk iron, achieving porous structures with enhanced biodegradability and mechanical properties suitable for bone healing.
Another notable development is the research conducted by RWTH Aachen University, where scientists have been working on lattice structures manufactured from a zinc-magnesium (ZnMg) alloy using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB).
These structures are designed to be patient-friendly and promote bone healing, with the ZnMg alloy offering a balance between mechanical strength and biodegradability.
The researchers aim to develop bone-mimicking structures while gradually degrading in the body, eliminating the need for secondary surgeries to remove implants.As additive manufacturing continues to mature, zinc-based bioresorbable devices may offer a crucial link between materials science, digital fabrication, and personalized medicine.What 3D printing trends should you watch out for in 2025?
How is the future of 3D printing shaping up?
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.
Feature image shows a scanning electron microscope scan of a single laser scan cross-section of a tested nickel and zinc alloy structure.
Image via Texas A&M University.
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#additive #manufacturing #zinc #biomaterials #opens #new #possibilities #for #biodegradable #medical #implantsAdditive manufacturing of zinc biomaterials opens new possibilities for biodegradable medical implants
Researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and multiple collaborating institutions are advancing the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to produce zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants.
Motivated by the need for temporary implants that naturally degrade in the body, thereby eliminating risks associated with long-term metal retention, the team investigated selective laser melting (SLM) and binder jetting as methods to process zinc and zinc oxide powders into patient-specific scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.
Their findings, published in Acta Biomaterialia, demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating porous zinc structures with tailored degradation rates and mechanical properties.
The study addresses key challenges in fabricating zinc structures via AM, including the metal’s low boiling point, high reflectivity, and tendency to oxidize.
These properties have historically complicated laser-based processing, limiting zinc’s use in load-bearing biomedical applications despite its attractive profile as a biodegradable, bioactive material.
Zinc as a next-generation biodegradable metal for AM
Zinc’s corrosion rate is slower than that of magnesium but significantly faster than iron, placing it in an ideal range for bioresorption over a clinically relevant time frame.
It also exhibits inherent antibacterial properties and plays a role in osteogenesis.
However, traditional manufacturing routes have struggled to produce complex, porous zinc scaffolds suitable for bone in-growth.
Additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of patient-specific, lattice-based implants with fine control over pore geometry, strut thickness, and internal architecture.
In this study, SLM was used to process zinc powder into porous structures, while inkjet printing of zinc oxide was followed by a post-processing step that included sintering and reduction to metallic zinc.
Both methods demonstrated potential to overcome the design limitations of conventional manufacturing, with implications for orthopedic and craniofacial implant design.(i) Schematic of a typical Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) machine, illustrating the inert atmosphere within the construction chamber and the direction of gas movement indicated by blue arrows.
(ii) (a) Typical Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process; (b) SLM process schematic showing the processing chamber and gas circulation system; (c) Parameters for processing.
(iii) Setup for the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) process.
(iv) (a) Schematic of an Electron Beam Melting (EBM) machine.
(v) Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process.
(vi) (a) Diagram of laser powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED) systems; (b) Schematic of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) equipment based on plasma arc welding.
(vii) Schematics for the Binder Jetting (BJ) process.
Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology.
Optimizing AM parameters for zinc processing
SLM processing required fine-tuning to mitigate evaporation and reduce porosity caused by keyhole formation.
The authors suggest that alloying zinc with elements such as magnesium, calcium, or silver may improve printability, mechanical performance, and degradation behavior.
With optimized parameters, the team achieved scaffolds with compressive strengths in the range of cancellous bone and interconnected pores that facilitate vascularization and cell migration.
Inkjet-based AM offered an alternative pathway, especially for producing lower-density structures with finer feature resolution.
However, it introduced challenges related to shrinkage and sintering-induced defects.
Despite these issues, both AM approaches enabled the fabrication of cytocompatible scaffolds that supported cell attachment and proliferation in vitro, meeting preliminary benchmarks for biocompatibility.
In vitro antibacterial activity: Bacterial morphology on the surface of samples after co-culture with (a) S.
aureus and (b) E.
coli (arrows tips indicated dead bacteria with broken and incomplete bacterial cell walls); (c) Images of S.
aureus and E.
coli on TSA after co-cultured with samples; (d) Antibacterial rates calculated by colony counting method; (e) Antibacterial abilities of the samples after incubation with PBS for 3, 7 days.
Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology.
Toward clinical translation and customized implants
The paper positions AM zinc devices as candidates for temporary bone fixation, load-sharing scaffolds, and biodegradable stents.
Unlike permanent metallic implants, these devices gradually degrade in the body, reducing long-term complication risks and eliminating the need for surgical removal.
Additive manufacturing’s digital design flexibility further supports the integration of patient-specific anatomical data, potentially reducing recovery times and improving treatment outcomes.
Looking ahead, the authors emphasize the need for further in vivo testing and alloy development to tune degradation rates and biofunctionality.
Hybrid AM strategies, such as combining inkjet-printed sacrificial templates with SLM overlays, may allow for functionally graded materials and composite structures.
Advancements in biodegradable implants
Recent advancements in 3D printing of zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants highlight the growing interest in utilizing AM to create patient-specific, bioresorbable metal implants.
This trend is part of a broader movement in the field of AM of bioresorbable metals, where researchers are exploring materials like magnesium, iron, and zinc to develop implants that safely degrade within the body over time.
One pertinent example is the work by engineers at Delft University of Technology, who have utilized extrusion-based 3D printing to fabricate biodegradable bone implants made of porous iron.
Similar to zinc, porous iron is biodegradable and has potential as a temporary bone substitute that degrades as new bone regrows, thereby reducing the risk of long-term inflammation associated with permanent metal implants.
The Delft team developed a purpose-built extrusion-based setup to overcome challenges related to the low biodegradation rate of bulk iron, achieving porous structures with enhanced biodegradability and mechanical properties suitable for bone healing.
Another notable development is the research conducted by RWTH Aachen University, where scientists have been working on lattice structures manufactured from a zinc-magnesium (ZnMg) alloy using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB).
These structures are designed to be patient-friendly and promote bone healing, with the ZnMg alloy offering a balance between mechanical strength and biodegradability.
The researchers aim to develop bone-mimicking structures while gradually degrading in the body, eliminating the need for secondary surgeries to remove implants.As additive manufacturing continues to mature, zinc-based bioresorbable devices may offer a crucial link between materials science, digital fabrication, and personalized medicine.What 3D printing trends should you watch out for in 2025?
How is the future of 3D printing shaping up?
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.
Feature image shows a scanning electron microscope scan of a single laser scan cross-section of a tested nickel and zinc alloy structure.
Image via Texas A&M University.
Source:
https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/additive-manufacturing-of-zinc-biomaterials-opens-new-possibilities-for-biodegradable-medical-implants-239427/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=additive-manufacturing-of-zinc-biomaterials-opens-new-possibilities-for-biodegradable-medical-implants
#additive #manufacturing #zinc #biomaterials #opens #new #possibilities #for #biodegradable #medical #implants
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