Investigation on Mechanical Behavior of Biodegradable Iron Foams under Different Compression Test Conditions

Biodegradable metal foams have been studied as potential materials for bone scaffolds. Their mechanical properties largely depend on the relative density and micro-structural geometry. In this work, mechanical behavior of iron foams with different cell sizes was investigated under various compression tests in dry and wet conditions and after subjected to degradation in Hanks' solution. Statistical analysis was performed using hypothesis and non-parametric tests. The deformation behavior of the foams under compression was also evaluated. Results show that the mechanical properties of the foams under dry compression tests had a "V-type" variation, which is explained as a function of different geometrical properties by using a simple tabular method. The wet environment did not change the compression behavior of the iron foams significantly while degradation decreased the elastic modulus, yield and compression strengths and the energy absorbability of the specimens. The deformation of open cell iron foams under compression is viewed as a complex phenomenon which could be the product of multiple mechanism such as bending, buckling and torsion.