In vitro and in vivo study on fine-grained Mg–Zn–RE–Zr alloy as a biodegradeable orthopedic implant produced by friction stir processing

Magnesium alloys containing biocompatible components show tremendous promise for applications as temporary biomedical devices. However, to ensure their safe use as biodegradeable implants, it is essential to control their corrosion rates. In concentrated Mg alloys, a microgalvanic coupling between the α-Mg matrix and secondary precipitates exists which results in increased corrosion rate. To address this challenge, we engineered the microstructure of a biodegradable Mg–Zn–RE–Zr alloy by friction stir processing (FSP), improving its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties simultaneously. The FS processed alloy with refined grains and broken and uniformly distributed secondary precipitates showed a relatively uniform corrosion morphology accompanied with the formation of a stable passive layer on the alloy surface. In vivo corrosion evaluation of the processed alloy in a small animal model showed that the material was well-tolerated with no signs of inflammation or harmful by-products. Remarkably, the processed alloy supported bone until it healed till eight weeks with a low in vivo corrosion rate of 0.7 mm/year. Moreover, we analyzed blood and histology of the critical organs such as liver and kidney, which showed normal functionality and consistent ion and enzyme levels, throughout the 12-week study period. These results demonstrate that the processed Mg–Zn–RE–Zr alloy offers promising potential for osseointegration in bone tissue healing while also exhibiting controlled biodegradability due to its engineered microstructure. The results from the present study will have profound benefit for bone fracture management, particularly in pediatric and elderly patients.