Development of customized metallic implants using direct metal laser sintering

Abstract

Additive manufacturing has been incorporated into the medical field since the late 80's and together with CT and MRI techniques allowing to obtain solid biomodels facilitating surgical procedures and reducing risk of failure. Currently, the additive manufacturing allows production of customized implants, tailoring them directly to the patient's needs. Among metallic biomaterials, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys are among the most used materials for craniofacial and orthopedic implants. A surface functionalization is used to incorporate specific antibacterial properties through addition of fluoride ions, favoring osteointegration of an implant and improving its corrosion behavior. The project aims to develop customized implants using metal additive manufacturing. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is a new additive manufacturing technique, producing near net-shape components. A laser beam is used to melt the metal powder in a computer controlled process following a 3D model building up the desired structure layer by layer. The material waste is low, the production preparation time is short and complex structures can be obtained with minimal post-processing and therefore low cost customized implant operations can be produced.Samples will be manufactured from CoCrMo alloys. Besides the microstructural and mechanical characterization, corrosion behavior and wear resistance of these three biomaterials will be evaluated. The alloy produced by the DMLS process will be functionalized through anodizing, for the development of a nanoporous CrO2 biofilm on its surface. In vitro tests will be carried out. In the last stage of the project customized implants made of biomedical alloys CoCrMo alloy using DMLS process will be produced. (AU)