Evaluation of the tribocorrosion behavior of Zn-Mg-Cu and Zn-Mg-Sn alloys for biomaterials

Abstract

The sustainable development of new materials for biomedical applications is in line with objectives 3 and 9 of the UN Agenda 2030, and from the point of view of public health, especially with regard to the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, to develop bioresorbable metallic biomaterials low cost can resolve several issues involving surgeries to remove orthopedic implants. Metallic materials with biodegradable characteristics have been the subject of systematic investigations aiming at their application in the form of temporary implants thanks to an adequate combination of mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Zinc (Zn) is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and bioabsorbable metal, essential in human nutrition. It also has a low melting point (420°C), good resistance to corrosion, and low reactivity in the liquid state, which facilitates its melting and hot processing. Magnesium (Mg) is a non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible metal. The Mg addition positively affects the mechanical and corrosion behavior of Zn alloys. The literature is scarce on works that correlate the microstructure parameters with the behavior of the tribocorrosion of Zn-Mg-Cu and Zn-Mg-Sn alloys. The main objective of this research will be to develop a detailed analysis of the microstructural evolution of Zn-1wt.%Mg-(X) alloys (where X = 1wt.%Cu or 0.5wt.%Sn) under transient solidification conditions, with the aim of developing correlations between the thermal parameters of solidification, quantitative parameters of the microstructure, and resistance to tribocorrosion in Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) solution. The microstructural characterization will involve XRD analysis, and optical, confocal, and electron microscopy. Additionally, corrosion tests will be carried out in PBS solution in order to establish correlations and comparisons between these microstructures and chemical characteristics appropriate to applications such as biomaterials. This research internship (BPE-FAPESP) will be held at CENIM - Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas, Madrid/Spain with the supervision of Dr. Juan J. Damborenea. (AU)