Influence of Ca, Al, Ti, and V additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesium-based alloy for biomedical applications

Magnesium (Mg) based alloys represent an emerging category of materials with potential applications in structural, functional and biomedical fields. The advanced Mg-based alloys mainly containing zinc are the future ideal material because of their special properties, which are recommended mainly in biomedical applications. The Vacuum induction melting furnace is used to cast the Mg–Zn-based alloys, with additions of Ca, Al, Ti and V as the alloying elements. The experimental results indicate that the microstructure of the alloys is mainly composed of α –Mg and semi-continuous or continuous eutectic phases. Notably, the grain sizes of the alloys gradually decrease, whilst the partial morphology of some eutectic phases is modified into a lamellar structure with increasing Ca addition. The microstructural observations revealed that some cast samples have porosity and a coarser structure, whereas the Mg–Zn–Ca cast alloy is observed to be fine, dense, equiaxed grain in texture. The higher mechanical properties, like tensile and hardness, were estimated as 114.0 ± 1.0 MPa and 101.7 ± 0.6 HV, respectively, and the lower density was measured as 1.50 g cm −3 . The density of the newly developed Mg–Zn-based alloy system is lower than that of the other systems. Corrosion and wettability tests are also performed on the prepared samples to examine potential biological compatibility. The test results proved that Mg–Zn–Ti, Mg–Zn–Al (in terms of electrochemical test) and Mg–Zn–Ca (in terms of contact angle of wettability) systems exhibited the best properties with an acceptable stage for biomedical applications.