In Vitro Corrosion and Biocompatibility Assessment of Magnesium Alloys

Magnesium due to its good biocompatibility, mechanical properties, necessity in metabolic processes and light weight, is an ideal candidate for biodegradable implants. The major concerns with the magnesium and its alloys are fast and non-uniform corrosion. In this investigation, magnesium based binary and ternary alloys were studied for its corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. In vitro corrosion resistance of the alloys was studied in accordance with ASTM F 2129-08 in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and PBS with amino acids at 37 °C. The metal ions released into the electrolyte during corrosion tests were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Additionally, the microstructure and surface morphology were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. The surface energy of the alloys was measured by Kyowa contact angle meter and biocompatibility of the alloys was assessed by observing the growth of human osteoblast cells (HOC) on their surfaces.

Keywords: biodegradable, corrosion, biocompatibility, osteoblast cells