Microstructural, mechanical and corrosion characteristics of heat-treated Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca (wt%) alloy for use as resorbable bone fixation material.

Mg-Zn-Ca alloys have grabbed most of the recent attention in research attempting to develop an Mg alloy for bone fixation devices due to their superior biocompatibility. However, early resorption and insufficient strength remain the main problems that hinder their use. Heat treatment has previously been thoroughly studied as a post-shaping process, especially after the fabrication of complex parts (e.g. porous structures) by 3D-printing or powder metallurgy. In this work, the effect of heat treatment on Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca (wt%) alloy's microstructural, mechanical and corrosion properties was studied. The surface morphology of samples was characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Hardness, compression and tensile tests were conducted, while the in vitro corrosion characteristics of the prepared samples were determined using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and immersion tests. It was found that increasing the age hardening duration up to 2-5h increased the heat-treated Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy's mechanical properties. Further increase in the age hardening duration did not result in further enhancement in mechanical properties. Similarly, heat treatment significantly altered the Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy's in vitro corrosion properties. The corrosion rate of the Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy after the heat treatment process was reduced to half of that for the as-cast alloy. XRD results showed the formation of biocompatible agglomerations of hydroxyapatite (HA) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) on the corroded surface of the heat-treated Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy samples. The performed heat treatment process had a significant effect on both mechanical and corrosion properties of the prepared Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy. The age hardening duration which caused the greatest increase in mechanical and the most slowed corrosion rate for Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca alloy material was between 2 and 5h.

[1]  Trond Peder Flaten,et al.  Aluminium as a risk factor in Alzheimer’s disease, with emphasis on drinking water , 2001, Brain Research Bulletin.

[2]  David Dean,et al.  Metals for bone implants. Part 1. Powder metallurgy and implant rendering. , 2014, Acta biomaterialia.

[3]  C. Boehlert,et al.  The microstructure, tensile properties, and creep behavior of Mg-Zn alloys containing 0-4.4 wt.% Zn , 2006 .

[4]  D. Zander,et al.  Influence of Ca and Zn on the microstructure and corrosion of biodegradable Mg–Ca–Zn alloys , 2015 .

[5]  Andrea Meyer-Lindenberg,et al.  Long-term in vivo degradation behaviour and biocompatibility of the magnesium alloy ZEK100 for use as a biodegradable bone implant. , 2013, Acta biomaterialia.

[6]  Denny A. Jones.  Principles and prevention of corrosion , 1991 .

[7]  Zhigang Xu,et al.  Recent advances on the development of magnesium alloys for biodegradable implants. , 2014, Acta biomaterialia.

[8]  G. Tang,et al.  Influence of heat treatment on degradation behavior of bio-degradable die-cast AZ63 magnesium alloy in simulated body fluid , 2007 .

[9]  Kazuhiro Hono,et al.  Age-hardening response of Mg-0.3 at.%Ca alloys with different Zn contents , 2009 .

[10]  T. Luckey,et al.  Metal toxicity in mammals. Volume 1. Physiologic and chemical basis for metal toxicity. , 1977 .

[11]  H. Hermawan,et al.  The effect of hydrogen gas evolution of magnesium implant on the postimplantation mortality of rats , 2015, Journal of orthopaedic translation.

[12]  Stephan M Perren,et al.  Evolution of the internal fixation of long bone fractures. The scientific basis of biological internal fixation: choosing a new balance between stability and biology. , 2002, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[13]  Y. Wan,et al.  Preparation and characterization of a new biomedical magnesium–calcium alloy , 2008 .

[14]  Yufeng Zheng,et al.  The development of binary Mg-Ca alloys for use as biodegradable materials within bone. , 2008, Biomaterials.

[15]  P. Chu,et al.  Surface design of biodegradable magnesium alloys — A review , 2013 .

[16]  M. Dargusch,et al.  Influence of hot rolling on the corrosion behavior of several Mg–X alloys , 2015 .

[17]  Yang Song,et al.  Research on an Mg-Zn alloy as a degradable biomaterial. , 2010, Acta biomaterialia.

[18]  S M Perren,et al.  EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNAL FIXATION OF LONG BONE FRACTURES , 2002 .

[19]  H. Maier,et al.  Magnesium degradation products: effects on tissue and human metabolism. , 2014, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[20]  Yufeng Zheng,et al.  In vitro Study on Biodegradable AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Fibers Reinforced PLGA Composite , 2013 .

[21]  Geetha Manivasagam,et al.  Biodegradable Mg and Mg based alloys for biomedical implants , 2014 .

[22]  J. Domingo.  Reproductive and developmental toxicity of aluminum: a review. , 1995, Neurotoxicology and teratology.

[23]  Yang Ke,et al.  Preliminary study of biodegradation of AZ31B magnesium alloy , 2007 .

[24]  Yufeng Zheng,et al.  Microstructure, mechanical properties, in vitro degradation behavior and hemocompatibility of novel Zn-Mg-Sr alloys as biodegradable metals , 2016 .

[25]  M. Bamberger,et al.  Trends in the Development of New Mg Alloys , 2008 .

[26]  Kazuhiro Hono,et al.  TEM and 3DAP characterization of an age-hardened Mg–Ca–Zn alloy , 2005 .

[27]  I. Park,et al.  Influence of Heat Treatment on Biocorrosion and Hemocompatibility of Biodegradable Mg-35Zn-3Ca Alloy , 2015 .

[28]  Je Morgan,et al.  1999 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Symposium on Grinding and Abrasive Technologies , 2000 .

[29]  Z. Cao,et al.  Mechanical and corrosion properties of newly developed Mg–Mn–Ca alloys as potential biodegradable implant materials , 2014 .

[30]  Mark A. Gibson,et al.  Enhanced age-hardening behaviour in Mg-4 wt.% Zn micro-alloyed with Ca , 2004 .

[31]  M. Medraj,et al.  Mechanical and bio-corrosion properties of quaternary Mg–Ca–Mn–Zn alloys compared with binary Mg–Ca alloys , 2014 .

[32]  S. Dorozhkin.  Calcium orthophosphate coatings on magnesium and its biodegradable alloys. , 2014, Acta biomaterialia.

[33]  M. Yahya,et al.  Characterization and Corrosion Behavior of Biodegradable Mg-Ca and Mg-Ca-Zn Implant Alloys , 2011 .

[34]  Baoping Zhang,et al.  Preparation and characterization of a new biomedical Mg–Zn–Ca alloy , 2012 .

[35]  Yufeng Zheng,et al.  In vitro and in vivo studies on a Mg-Sr binary alloy system developed as a new kind of biodegradable metal. , 2012, Acta biomaterialia.

[36]  M. Farag,et al.  Fabrication and Characterization of Starch Based Bagasse Fiber Composite , 2012 .

[37]  A. Gosain,et al.  Biomechanical Evaluation of Titanium, Biodegradable Plate and Screw, and Cyanoacrylate Glue Fixation Systems in Craniofacial Surgery , 1998, Plastic and reconstructive surgery.

[38]  Yufeng Zheng,et al.  In vitro corrosion and biocompatibility of binary magnesium alloys. , 2009, Biomaterials.

[39]  B. Muddle,et al.  Precipitation hardening of Mg-Ca(-Zn) alloys , 1997 .

[40]  M. Manuel,et al.  Investigation of the mechanical and degradation properties of Mg-Sr and Mg-Zn-Sr alloys for use as potential biodegradable implant materials. , 2012, Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials.

[41]  D. Dean,et al.  Resorbable bone fixation alloys, forming, and post-fabrication treatments. , 2017, Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications.

[42]  H. Hermawan.  Biodegradable Metals: State of the Art , 2012 .

[43]  B. Muddle,et al.  Precipitation-hardened Mg-Ca-Zn alloys with superior creep resistance , 2005 .

[44]  Chenglong Liu,et al.  Corrosion behavior of biomedical AZ91 magnesium alloy in simulated body fluids , 2007 .

[45]  Jae-Young Jung,et al.  Biodegradability engineering of biodegradable Mg alloys: Tailoring the electrochemical properties and microstructure of constituent phases , 2013, Scientific Reports.

[46]  R. Raman,et al.  Mechanical integrity of magnesium alloys in a physiological environment: Slow strain rate testing based study , 2013 .

[47]  Joseph R. Davis.  Properties and selection : nonferrous alloys and special-purpose materials , 1990 .

[48]  I. Jones,et al.  Effects of secondary phase and grain size on the corrosion of biodegradable Mg-Zn-Ca alloys. , 2015, Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications.

[49]  M. Sarntinoranont,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of Mg-Ca-Sr alloys for biodegradable orthopedic implant applications. , 2012, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials.

[50]  W. Ding,et al.  Biocorrosion properties of as-extruded Mg–Nd–Zn–Zr alloy compared with commercial AZ31 and WE43 alloys , 2012 .

[51]  M. Farag,et al.  Characteristics of starch-based biodegradable composites reinforced with date palm and flax fibers. , 2014, Carbohydrate polymers.

[52]  Ayako Oyane,et al.  Preparation and assessment of revised simulated body fluids. , 2003, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[53]  O. Illi,et al.  Biodegradable implant materials in fracture fixation. , 1992, Clinical materials.