In-vitro characterization of stress corrosion cracking of aluminium-free magnesium alloys for temporary bio-implant applications

Lokesh Choudhary; R K Singh Raman; Joelle Hofstetter; Peter J Uggowitzer

doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.06.018

In-vitro characterization of stress corrosion cracking of aluminium-free magnesium alloys for temporary bio-implant applications

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2014 Sep:42:629-36. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2014.06.018. Epub 2014 Jun 18.

Authors

Lokesh Choudhary¹, R K Singh Raman², Joelle Hofstetter³, Peter J Uggowitzer³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T1Z4, Canada.
² Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia. Electronic address: Raman.Singh@monash.edu.
³ Laboratory of Metal Physics and Technology, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.

PMID: 25063163
DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2014.06.018

Abstract

The complex interaction between physiological stresses and corrosive human body fluid may cause premature failure of metallic biomaterials due to the phenomenon of stress corrosion cracking. In this study, the susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking of biodegradable and aluminium-free magnesium alloys ZX50, WZ21 and WE43 was investigated by slow strain rate tensile testing in a simulated human body fluid. Slow strain rate tensile testing results indicated that each alloy was susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, and this was confirmed by fractographic features of transgranular and/or intergranular cracking. However, the variation in alloy susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking is explained on the basis of their electrochemical and microstructural characteristics.

Keywords: Magnesium alloys; Scanning electron microscopy; Slow strain rate tensile testing; Stress corrosion cracking; Temporary implants.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alloys / chemistry*
Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
Body Fluids
Corrosion
Electrodes
Humans
Magnesium / chemistry*
Materials Testing / instrumentation
Materials Testing / methods*
Models, Biological
Prostheses and Implants*

Substances

Alloys
Biocompatible Materials
Magnesium