Surface Analysis of Biodegradable Mg-Alloys after Immersion in Simulated Body Fluid

Surface Analysis of Biodegradable Mg-Alloys after Immersion in Simulated Body Fluid

Darja Steiner Petrovič, Djordje Mandrino, Bozidar Sarler, Jelena Horky, Andrea Ojdanic, Michael J. Zehetbauer, Dmytro Orlov

Two binary biodegradable Mg-alloys and one ternary biodegradable Mg-alloy (Mg-0.3Ca, Mg-5Zn and Mg-5Zn-0.3Ca, all in wt%) were investigated. Surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses (XPS) of the alloy surfaces before and after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) were performed. The XPS analysis of the samples before the immersion in SBF revealed that the top layer of the alloy might have a non-homogeneous composition relative to the bulk. Degradation during the SBF immersion testing was monitored by measuring the evolution of H2. It was possible to evaluate the thickness of the sample degradation layers after the SBF immersion based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the tilted sample. The thickness was in the order of 10–100 µm. The typical bio-corrosion products of all of the investigated alloys consisted of Mg, Ca, P and O, which suggests the formation of apatite (calcium phosphate hydroxide), magnesium hydrogen phosphate hydrate and magnesium hydroxide. The bioapplicability of the analyzed alloys with regard to surface composition and degradation kinetics is discussed.

2020

biodegradable Mg alloy, Corrosion, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, phosphate, apatite, degradation layer

DOI: 10.3390/ma13071740

Materials

MDPI AG

Technology, Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General), Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering, Microscopy, Descriptive and experimental mechanics

EN