Thermal exposure effects on the in vitro degradation and mechanical properties of Mg–Sr and Mg–Ca–Sr biodegradable implant alloys and the role of the microstructure

Magnesium is an attractive biodegradable material for medical applications due to its non-toxicity, low density and good mechanical properties. The fast degradation rate of magnesium can be tailored using alloy design. The combined addition of Sr and Ca results in a good combination of mechanical and corrosion properties; the alloy compositions with the best performance are Mg–0.5Sr and Mg–0.3Sr–0.3Ca. In this study, we investigated an important effect, namely thermal treatment (at 400 °C), on alloy properties. The bio-corrosion of the alloys was analyzed via in vitro corrosion tests in simulated body fluid (SBF); the mechanical properties were studied through tensile, compression and three-point bending tests in two alloy conditions, as-cast and heat-treated. We showed that 8 h of heat treatment increases the corrosion rate of Mg–0.5Sr very rapidly and decreases its mechanical strength. The same treatment does not significantly change the properties of Mg–0.3Sr–0.3Ca. An in-depth microstructural investigation via transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analysis and X-ray diffraction elucidated the effects of the thermal exposure. Microstructural characterization revealed that Mg–0.3Sr–0.3Ca has a new intermetallic phase that is stable after 8 h of thermal treatment. Longer thermal exposure (24 h) leads to the dissolution of this phase and to its gradual transformation to the equilibrium phase Mg17Sr2, as well as to a loss of mechanical and corrosion properties. The ternary alloy shows better thermal stability than the binary alloy, but the manufacturing processes should aim to not exceed exposure to high temperatures (400 °C) for prolonged periods (over 24 h).