The Effects of Hydroxyapatite Addition on the Properties of the Mechanically Alloyed and Sintered Mg-RE-Zr Alloy

Abstract

This paper discusses the influence of the chemical composition on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties of mechanically alloyed and sintered (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-x wt.% HA composites. Mechanical alloying for 25 h of the Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr composition, followed by sintering under argon at 550 °C for 2 h, led to the formation of a bulk alloy with an ultrafine grained microstructure. With the increase of the hydroxyapatite content in the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-x wt.% HA composite, a reduction of the grain sizes of the bulk material was noticeable. In the case of the bulk (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-10 wt.% HA composite, the grain sizes of approx. 60 nm have been recorded by atomic force microscopy. The final microstructure of the synthesized composites strongly influenced the mechanical and corrosion properties. The Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr alloy was characterized by higher average values of Young’s modulus (36.6 GPa). In the case of the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-5 wt.% HA scaffolds with the porosity of 48%, the Young’s modulus was equal to 7.1 GPa. The (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-10 wt.% HA composite was more corrosion resistant (I c = 5.849 × 10−5 A cm−2, E c = −1.565 V versus SCE) than Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr alloy (I c = 4.838 × 10−4 A cm−2, E c = −1.555 V versus SCE). The influence of hydrofluoric acid treatment on the corrosion behavior of the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-5 wt.% HA composite was also investigated. The electrochemical test showed that the corrosion resistance of fluoride-treated specimens was higher, compared with the untreated samples in the Ringer’s solution. In conclusion, fluoride-treated (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-HA composites are biodegradable materials with adjustable mechanical and corrosive properties.