Graphene Oxide Reinforced Iron Matrix Composite With Enhanced Biodegradation Rate Prepared by Selective Laser Melting

Pure iron (Fe) is a promising biodegradable metal. However, a too slow biodegradation rate in physiological environments restricts its clinical application. This work produced a Fe/graphene oxide (GO) composite from pure Fe and GO powders, through selective laser melting (SLM). GO is expected to increase the biodegradation rate of Fe. The microstructure, hardness, and corrosion behavior are investigated. The results demonstrated that the GO is distributed relatively uniformly at grain boundaries and inside the matrix. The SLMed Fe/GO composite had finer grain size, higher hardness, and faster biodegradation rate compared to the SLMed pure Fe.