DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURAL-PHASE EVOLUTION OF THE BIODEGRADABLE HIGH-ENTROPY Fe-Zn-Mn-Cu ALLOY

Abstract

The synthesis and investigation of the structural and phase evolution patterns of an equiatomic high-entropy Fe-Zn-Mn-Cu alloy were carried out. The alloy was obtained by powder metallurgy methods: high-energy mechanical alloying (20 hours in "Kalosha" petroleum ether) followed by liquid-phase sintering at a temperature of 900 ℃ in a pure nitrogen atmosphere. It is shown that this technological approach overcomes the thermodynamic immiscibility of the elements (specifically the Fe–Cu pair) and forms a supersaturated solid solution without a critical accumulation of oxide phases. It was established that after sintering, the alloy forms a specific microporous structure (scaffold), which reduces the elastic modulus of the material and promotes the free circulation of physiological fluids. The prospects of the developed system for creating new-generation biodegradable orthopedic implants with a controlled corrosion rate and potential antibacterial properties are proven.