Investigation of Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of New Mg-Zn-Ga Amorphous Alloys for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Magnesium alloys are considered as promising materials for use as biodegradable implants due to their biocompatibility and similarity to human bone properties. However, their high corrosion rate in bodily fluids limits their use. To address this issue, amorphization can be used to inhibit microgalvanic corrosion and increase corrosion resistance. The Mg-Zn-Ga metallic glass system was investigated in this study, which shows potential for improving the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys for biodegradable implants. According to clinical tests, it has been demonstrated that Ga ions are effective in the regeneration of bone tissue. The microstructure, phase composition, and phase transition temperatures of sixteen Mg-Zn-Ga alloys were analyzed. In addition, a liquidus projection of the Mg-Zn-Ga system was constructed and validated through the thermodynamic calculations based on the CALPHAD-type database. Furthermore, amorphous ribbons were prepared by rapid solidification of the melt for prospective alloys. XRD and DSC analysis indicate that the alloys with the most potential possess an amorphous structure. The ribbons exhibit an ultimate tensile strength of up to 524 MPa and a low corrosion rate of 0.1–0.3 mm/year in Hanks’ solution. Therefore, it appears that Mg-Zn-Ga metallic glass alloys could be suitable for biodegradable applications.

Keywords

• biomaterials
• corrosion properties
• gallium
• magnesium alloys
• mechanical properties
• metallic glass