A project from WUT with funding from the Weave-UNISONO competition
In mid-January, the ranking list no. 8 for the Weave-UNISONO competition was announced. Included on the list was the project titled "Hybrid crystalline-amorphous bioabsorbable composites - the breakthrough for medical devices," led by Prof. Wojciech Święszkowski.
The project led by Prof. Święszkowski is being carried out in collaboration with universities from the Czech Republic and Slovenia. The foreign project leaders are Jiří Kubásek, PhD, from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague and Matjaž Godec from the Institute of Metals and Technology in Ljubljana. The researchers' focus is on magnesium and its alloys, from which bioabsorbable medical devices are made, including implants for broken bones and stents. Due to low corrosion resistance, these reactions are accompanied by excessive hydrogen release, leading to an increase in pH in the immediate vicinity of the implant.
The high demands placed on bioabsorbable medical devices have directed the attention of researchers and biomedical engineers to metallic glasses produced based on magnesium (Mg), which offer higher corrosion resistance and strength compared to crystalline Mg alloys. However, their widespread application in biomedicine is limited due to their low plasticity.
As part of the project, a new hybrid biodegradable material will be developed, based on an innovative concept combining Mg-Zn-Ca-(Ag-Sr) metallic glasses with a crystalline phase based on Zn. The resulting materials will, for the first time in the world, provide the mechanical, corrosion, and biological properties necessary for producing truly biodegradable metallic materials that can be used as bone implants. These materials will also be affordable, which will enable us to help as many people as possible – reads the project description.
The research will be conducted by the Warsaw University of Technology (WUT), the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague (UCT Prague), and the Institute of Metals and Technology (IMT) in Slovenia. The outcomes will offer new insights into the formation and behavior of hybrid microstructures. They will also deepen the understanding of the relationship between the microstructure and the mechanical and corrosion properties of these materials, as well as lead to improvements in their biological performance. The funding allocated for the research amounts to PLN 1,119,960.
The ranking lists of projects qualified for funding under the Weave-UNISONO competition for bilateral or trilateral research projects for teams from Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, or Flanders (Belgium), and Poland are presented by the Coordinators of the National Science Centre.