A physical corrosion model for bioabsorbable metal stents

Absorbable metal stents (AMSs) are an emerging technology in the treatment of heart disease. Computational modelling of AMS performance will facilitate the development of this technology. In this study a physical corrosion model is developed for AMSs based on the finite element method and adaptive meshing. The model addresses a gap between currently available phenomenological corrosion models for AMSs and physical corrosion models that have been developed for more simple geometries than those of a stent. The model developed in this study captures the changing surface of a corroding three-dimensional AMS structure for the case of diffusion-controlled corrosion. Comparisons are made between model predictions and those of previously developed phenomenological corrosion models for AMSs in terms of predicted device geometry and mechanical performance during corrosion. Relationships between alloy solubility and diffusivity in the corrosion environment and device performance during corrosion are also investigated.