Abstract
A too slow degradation of iron (Fe) limits its orthopedic application. In this study, calcium chloride (CaCl2) was incorporated into a Fe-based biocomposite fabricated by laser additive manufacturing, with an aim to accelerate the degradation. It was found that CaCl2 with strong water absorptivity improved the hydrophilicity of the Fe matrix and thereby promoted the invasion of corrosive solution. On the other hand, CaCl2 could rapidly dissolve once contacting the solution and release massive chloride ion. Interestingly, the local high concentration of chloride ion effectively destroyed the corrosion product layer due to its strong erosion ability. As a result, the corrosion product layer covered on the Fe/CaCl2 matrix exhibited an extremely porous structure, thus exhibiting a significantly reduced corrosion resistance. Besides, in vivo cell testing proved that the Fe/CaCl2 biocomposite also showed favorable cytocompatibility.
Highlights
Iron (Fe) has been recognized as a potential bone tissue engineering material owing to its good biocompatibility and mechanical properties (Cheng et al, 2013; Yang et al, 2020a)
Fe is an essential micronutrient for the human body and participates in metabolism and various physiological functions, such as hemoglobin synthesis, metabolic enzyme activation, and immunity enhancement (Hermawan et al, 2010; Shuai et al, 2021a)
The slow degradation is related to the formation of passive film (Sharma and Pandey, 2019)
Summary
Iron (Fe) has been recognized as a potential bone tissue engineering material owing to its good biocompatibility and mechanical properties (Cheng et al, 2013; Yang et al, 2020a). As compared with the other two biodegradable metals, including magnesium and zinc, Fe possesses relatively high mechanical strength and is more suitable for the repair of loadbearing bone tissue (Li et al, 2018). As one kind of biodegradable metal, Fe can be naturally degraded and absorbed in the human body, avoiding secondary surgery (Spotorno et al, 2020). Fe degrades too slowly, which should hinder the formation and growth of new bone and even cause inflammatory reaction (Yang et al, 2018). According to the theory of phase-forming film, a dense and wellcovered product film could be formed on the Fe matrix as corrosion occurred (Kim et al, 2019)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
