Abstract
Powder sintering at 1200 °C for 180 min was used to produce Fe-Mn based alloys with tensile properties and an elastic modulus suitable for biodegradable implant applications. The effect of the addition of manganese on the microstructure, tensile properties and fracture behaviour of the Fe-Mn alloys was investigated. The Fe-35Mn alloy with a microstructure dominated by the Austenite phase showed the best set of tensile properties, including ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus, suitable for orthopaedic implant applications. The fracture surface of the Fe-35Mn alloy showed signs of complex multimode fracture behaviour, consisting of interconnected pores and large segments with signs of ductile fracture, including the presence of dimples as well as micro-voids.