Lisa Larsson

I am a PhD student in the BioMaterial Systems (BMS) group at Uppsala University working on additive manufacturing of magnesium-based alloys for biomedical applications. Before my PhD, I studied materials engineering following the EEIGM program at Luleå Univeristy of Technonolgy (LTU), which means I spent one and a half years at Lorraine University of Technology (EEIGM) in France and one year of my master at the Polytecnic University of Catalonia (UPC). During my master thesis I worked at the BMS group to perform biological characterization of an additively manufactured Zirconium-based Bulk Metallic Glass.

My research project within the Swedish Graduate School for Neutron Scattering aims at providing a better understanding of additive manufacturing (AM) of biodegradable alloys. The project is focused on magnesium alloys, as they are promising contenders for temporary fixation devices (e.g. for bone fractures). Using biodegradable magnesium alloys for this application would eliminate the need for a second surgery to remove the implant thus decreasing infection risks, a very important aspect to consider bearing in mind the growing antibiotic resistance worldwide. For fracture fixation applications, achieving adequate mechanical properties is crucial. A thorough understanding of how the complex processing route that is AM is related to the mechanical properties of the finished part, as well as the final microstructure, is therefore of highest importance.

This project aim is to gain an in-depth understanding of microstructure formation by extensive characterization of novel magnesium alloys at all relevant length scales, as well as an understanding of the resulting mechanical properties. The combination of neutron and synchrotron techniques will be particularly explored, since the local microstructure of AM components can differ a lot from the bulk. This makes neutron scattering an ideal characterization technique since it allows deeper probing than with other methods, in a non-destructive manner. Techniques such as neutron diffraction and imaging will be employed to investigate i.e. microstructure and porosity. By experimental and numerical characterization, we expect to provide new knowledge on the possibilities and limitations of 3D-printable magnesium-based alloys.