News

`[1 Jun 2025]`	The first BIOAD joint paper has been published in Journal of Alloys and Compounds (doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.181280)! Coworkers from the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry of the Jožef Stefan Institute and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the university of Ljubljana investigated the microstructure, composition, and corrosion behaviour of additively manufactured Ti–6Al–4V alloy produced by directed-energy deposition of powder using a laser beam (DED-LB) method and compares it with conventionally wrought Ti–6Al–4V, which is widely used in medical applications. Key findings include alloy preparation, advanced characterisation, and biomedical performance. Understanding how additive manufacturing alters corrosion resistance is essential for developing next-generation biomedical implants with tailored mechanical and electrochemical properties.

`[25 Mar 2025]`	As part of the 33^rd Stefan Days at the Jožef Stefan Institute, selected outstanding national and international projects were presented, recognised for their topical scientific relevance, interdisciplinarity, and scale of funding. In the field of chemistry, the following top projects were presented (from left to right in the photo below): Prof. Andreja Benčan Golob, who leads the 4DSTEM project, focused on the use of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy with matrix detectors for the characterisation of selected energy-efficient materials, Prof. Ingrid Milošev, who leads the BIOAD project in our department, is dedicated to the development of antibacterial titanium alloys using additive manufacturing technologies, aimed at reducing infections associated with biomedical implants, Prof. Kristina Žužek Rozman, who coordinates the HE GREENE project, which is dedicated to an innovative approach to developing high-energy permanent magnets based on the Nd-Fe-B system for applications in green technologies. Foto: Marjan Verč

`[15 Feb 2024]`	On February 15, 2024, a meeting of partners in the BIOAD project was held at the Jožef Stefan Institute, which was aimed at reviewing the results after the sixteen project months and planning further research. The first project year focused on developing the novel Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-4V-Cu alloys with an additive direct energy deposition manufacturing method. We are now concentrating on characterising the developed materials and their antibacterial properties. We expect to obtain even more results in the following months and finalise the first scientific paper.

`[09 Nov 2023]`	We have reached the first milestone in the research part of the project BIOAD, namely the development of a new titanium alloy with additive technology, which has great potential for use in biomedicine. On November 9, 2023, a meeting of partners in the BIOAD project was held at the Jožef Stefan Institute, which was aimed at reviewing the results after the first project year and planning further research. The BIOAD project was approved at the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) public call for (co)financing of research projects in 2022. The BIOAD project entitled "Antibacterial alloys: development with additive 3D manufacturing, characterization and clinical applications" (J7-4639), coordinated by Prof. Ingrid Milošev, unites a consortium of five partners: Jožef Stefan Institute, Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana. We continue the research work in full swing, along with the preparation of the first scientific publications.

`[31 May 2023]`	On 31 May 2022, the project partners met at the Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital to discuss the progress of the scientific work.

`[16 Dec 2022]`	On November 16, 2022, the project members visited the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Andrej Jeromen explained additive manufacturing principles using direct energy deposition (DED) at the Laboratory for Synergetics, chaired by Prof. Govekar (LASIN). Stainless steel samples were printed to demonstrate the printing process. We also learned about the second additive manufacturing technique, i.e. selective laser melting (SLM). The visit continued at the Laboratory for Cutting (LABOD), chaired by Prof. Pušavec. Prof. Kramar and Prof. Šturm demonstrated various post-treatment procedures and instrumentations. We also discussed the materials' characteristics, size and number of samples to be ordered.

`[11 Nov 2022]`	The kick-off meeting of the BIOAD project, which was approved at the Public call of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) for (co)financing of research projects in 2022, took place on November 11, 2022, at the Jožef Stefan Institute. BIOAD is the acronym of the three-year project "Antibacterial alloys: development with additive 3D manufacturing, characterization and clinical applications" (J7-4639) coordinated by Prof. dr. Ingrid Milošev from the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry. The project unites a consortium of five partners: Jožef Stefan Institute, Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana and will be financed by 1.5 million € over three years.