Degradation behaviour of magnesium alloy and its composite used as a biomaterial

Abstract

In the last six decades, it has been made a great advancement in the field of engineering material especially in biomaterials, including metal alloys, composites, polymers, ceramics, and metallic glasses. Different form of these biomaterial are used as a engrafts. Unlike conventional materials such as stainless steel, cobalt, or titanium-based alloy resulting in stress shielding effect, some of these materials are designed in such a way to degrade or to be resorbed inside the body rather than removing the implant after its function is served. Here, Magnesium based biomaterials are the most suitable and used as a newly developed biodegradable material. Inherent mechanical properties of magnesium like properties of elastic and modulus rigidity which are very much same as to those of human bone, make it biocompatible. There is limited use of pure Mg due to its corrosive nature, but when formed an alloy or the composite the degradation property can be improved and making them a material of choice for implantation. This paper aim is to review the degradation rate and the methods to control it. Due to high degradation rate of the Mg, as compare to other biomaterials, our final goal is to maintain the balance between the gradual loss of material and mechanical strength during degradation, by providing the strength to the newly forming bone tissue. Mg-based alloy or composite has the potential to be used as a biomaterial without the need for a second surgery, once this goal is achieved.