High Quality Designing Of Sinter Based Additively Manufactured (3D Printing) Degradable Magnesium-Gadolinium Scaffolds For Biomedical Implant Applications

The integration of 3D printing and Mg-5Gd alloys is revolutionizing biomedical applications, particularly in scaffolds for bone implants. Scaffolds facilitate bone growth and repair, requiring precise fabrication to achieve a balanced degradation rate that aligns with bone regeneration while maintaining mechanical support during healing. This study optimizes 3D printing parameters for Mg-5Gd alloy feedstock (40 vol.% binder loading) to produce high-quality magnesium structures with controlled degradation rates. Key parameters, including printing speed, extrusion rate, layer thickness, and post-processing techniques, were refined to achieve dense discs and scaffolds with pore sizes of 700–1250 µm, matching cortical bone structure. Using a 0.3 mm nozzle and printing speeds of 10–20 mm|s, structures with densities up to 97% and degradation rates below 1 mm|year were achieved. Results demonstrate that scaffold degradation rates can be tailored by adjusting geometry, pore size, and wall thickness, showcasing AM potential to advance regenerative medicine and biomedical implants.