**3. Results**

#### *3.1. Analytical Results*

Figure 7 shows the results of the analytical calculations for the Zn1Mg single struts under axial compression. Shown is resulting composite Young's modulus *E* as a function of the substrate layer thickness *tsub* for different strut radii *rs* (50 μm–250 μm). Furthermore, Figure 7 (a) shows the resulting absolute composite Young's modulus (left axis) and relative increase *E*/*EZn*<sup>1</sup>*Mg*) (right axis) for a Young's modulus twice as high, (b) three times as high, (c) four times as high and (d) five times as high as the base materials Young's modulus. It can be noticed that the thinner the struts and the thicker the substrate layer, the higher the resulting composite axial stiffness of the strut. Especially for smaller strut radii, i.e., *rs* = 50 μm, as well as for small substrate thicknesses, the effect of an increase in axial stiffness is clearly visible. Same applies for high Young's moduli of the substrate layer.

**Figure 7.** Analytical calculation of the axial stiffness of a single composite strut for varying parameters of the substrate layer.

Figure 8 shows the results for the analytical observations of the Zn1Mg single struts under bending. Shown is the resulting composite bending stiffness *E J* as a function of the substrate layer thickness *tsub* for different substrate Young's moduli *Esub*, which is set to 2–5 times the base materials Young's modulus *EZn*<sup>1</sup>*Mg*. Furthermore, Figure 8 shows the resulting absolute composite bending stiffness *E J* (left axis) and relative increase *E J*/(*E J*)*Zn*1*Mg*) (right axis) for (a) a base strut radius *rs* = 50 μm, (b) *rs* = 100 μm, (c) *rs* = 150 μm and (d) *rs* = 200 μm. With increasing substrate layer thickness and higher substrate Young's modulus, a higher increase in bending stiffness can be observed. Especially for small strut radii, such as *rs* = 50 μm, very high increases in bending stiffness can be achieved. This is not only the case for high moduli of the substrate layer, but also in the case when the composite of degradation products has the same Young's modulus.

**Figure 8.** Analytical calculation of the bending stiffness of a single composite strut for varying parameters of the substrate layer.
