Effects of Nitrogen and Hydrogen Plasma Treatments on a Mg‐2Y‐1Zn‐1Mn Resorbable Alloy

Mg alloys have recently been investigated and optimized for the development of biodegradable implants for orthopedic, dental, vascular, and other applications. However, their rapid degradation in a physiological environment remains the main obstacle to their development. In this work, the effects of nitrogen and hydrogen plasma treatments on the surface properties and corrosion behavior of an Mg‐2Y‐1Zn‐1Mn (WZM211) alloy were investigated. Plasma treatment effectively modified the surface of a WZM211 alloy by removing the original oxide layer, followed by the formation of a new surface layer with controlled composition, thickness, and wettability. The water contact angle decreased from 100° to 17° after nitrogen plasma and to 45° after hydrogen plasma treatment. The nitrogen plasma treatment, shortly N‐Plasma, resulted in the lowest corrosion rate (CRN = 0.038 ± 0.010 mm/y) if compared with the hydrogen plasma treatment, shortly H‐Plasma (CRH = 0.044 ± 0.003 mm/y) and untreated samples (0.233 ± 0.097 mm/y). The results demonstrate the potential of nitrogen and hydrogen plasma treatment for the development of resorbable Mg‐based implants.