Abstract

Due to the excellent biocompatibility of Zn and Zn-based alloys, researchers have shown great interest in developing biodegradable implants based on zinc. Furthermore, zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and proteins. The human body requires ~15 mg of Zn per day, and there is minimal concern for systemic toxicity from a small zinc-based cardiovascular implant, such as an arterial stent. However, biodegradable Zn-based implants have been shown to provoke local fibrous encapsulation reactions that may isolate the implant from its surrounding environment and interfere with implant function. The development of biodegradable implants made from Zn-Fe-Ca alloy was designed to overcome the problem of fibrous encapsulation. In a previous study made by the authors, the Zn-Fe-Ca system demonstrated a suitable corrosion rate that was higher than that of pure Zn and Zn-Fe alloy. The Zn-Fe-Ca system also showed adequate mechanical properties and a unique microstructure that contained a secondary Ca-reach phase. This has raised the promise that the tested alloy could serve as a biodegradable implant metal. The present study was conducted to further evaluate this promising Zn alloy. Here, we assessed the material’s corrosion performance in terms of cyclic potentiodynamic polarization analysis and stress corrosion behavior in terms of slow strain rate testing (SSRT). We also assessed the ability of cells to survive on the alloy surface by direct cell culture test. The results indicate that the alloy develops pitting corrosion, but not stress corrosion under phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and air environment. The direct cell viability test demonstrates the successful adherence and growth of cells on the alloy surface.

Highlights

  • The past decade has seen a growing interest in biodegradable implants made of Zn and Zn-alloys [1,2,3,4,5,6]

  • The consensus of recent studies has been the potential for Zn and its alloys to serve as a biocompatible structural implant material

  • This study aims to ensure that the Zn-Fe-Ca alloy does not develop stress corrosion in a physiological environment and that there is a possibility of tissues growth around the implant

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Summary

Introduction

The past decade has seen a growing interest in biodegradable implants made of Zn and Zn-alloys [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Zn and its alloys are attractive for producing implants due to their low melting points, low chemical reactivity, and good machinability [10]. Ionic Zn is a component of hundreds of enzymes and proteins. The human body contains 2–3 g of Zn, and nearly 90% is found in muscle and bone [11]. The daily allowance of Zn in the human body is 15 mg/day [12], and the body is able to absorb this amount from the environment, regulate its concentration in body fluids, transport it safely throughout the body, and excrete excess amounts [11]. There is minimal concern for systemic side effects [9] from the ionic Zn byproduct of Zn-based implants, from small devices such as arterial stents

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