2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium
2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium
Degradation Analysis of Biomaterial in Its Environment
Degradation Analysis of Biomaterial in Its Environment
PROJECT NUMBER: 68 | AUTHOR: Ashley Galligan, Chemistry
MENTOR: Terry Lowe, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
GRADUATE STUDENT MENTOR: Skyler Davis, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
ABSTRACT
Despite 304 stainless steel’s creation in order to resist corrosion, cannula made from this type of stainless steel has on multiple occasions undergone the phenomenon of pitting corrosion. The purpose of this study was to determine the process of this pitting corrosion – time history, catalytic factor, and elemental analysis throughout – as well as trying to recreate this process through an accelerated corrosion study. The use of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB), and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) were implemented for studying the process of the pitting corrosion on the cannula. The accelerated corrosion experiment focused on how three factors: saline concentration, titanium concentration, and time impacted the corrosion process of stainless steel. The main conclusions drawn from these experiments were that the corrosion product is complex in structure and composition, undergoing different processes throughout the corrosion site, and the titanium content in the corroded needle far exceeds what is standard for 304 stainless steel as well as all the other 304 stainless steels tested. With the findings from this study, more research into the corrosion process will be conducted, and possibly more titanium testing will be done on the stainless steel before it is created into cannula.
PRESENTATION
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Ashley Galligan is a sophomore in Biochemistry with a minor in Explosives Engineering. Ashley does research with the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering department. Ashley’s project has been focused on understanding the degradation/corrosion process of cannula (specifically 304 stainless steel). As an aspiring forensic scientist, this research project has allowed Ashley to put her detective skills to the test and use the evidence to figure out what has happened. Ashley hope’s to continue learning more about different microscopes and using them, along with increasing her knowledge of different chemical and biochemical processes.
I really enjoyed your enthusiastic delivery of the unlying science. Great job!
Very nice abstract and poster! Would you provide the motivation for this research? What amount of money in the healthcare industry is estimated to be lost because of corroded needles? Where, other than needles, could this research be applied?
The motivation behind this research was “solving the mystery” behind this corrosion process. It’s been something that’s been happening for over 10 years, and no one has been able to determine the cause and conditions in the surrounding environment which cause this corrosion process. My role in this was to bring in a chemistry background to something that has mostly been studied only by metallurgical and materials engineers and scientists, as well as bring in a fresh pair of eyes to the issue. This phenomenon is relatively rare, so it is not costing the healthcare industry much more that it is already losing by discarding faulty needles in production, however, it does have a high social cost. For something that is used daily by hospitals, diabetic patients (using insulin), etc. the fear of using a needle that is corroded has a much higher cost than what it took to make it, and the additional time required to quickly check and make sure the needle is not corroded can become a hassle. Since this research focuses on 304 stainless steel, this research can be applied to any other object made from this material. Some examples may be electrical enclosures, auto molding and trim, wheel covers, kitchen equipment, etc.
Really interesting research, as I was not aware of this problem beforehand.