Magnesium Alloys: Corrosion & Surface Treatments

Metallic materials continue to play an essential role as biomaterials to assist with the repair or replacement of bone tissue that has become diseased or damaged. Metals are more suitable for load-bearing applications compared with ceramics or polymeric materials due to their combination of high mechanical strength and fracture toughness. Currently approved and commonly used metallic biomaterials include stainless steels, titanium, and cobalt-chromium-based alloys. A limitation of these current metallic biomaterials is the possible release of toxic metallic ions and/or particles through corrosion or wear processes that lead to inflammatory cascades which reduce biocompatibility and cause tissue loss. A resistance of magnesium alloys to surface degradation is paramount for their applications in automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics and general-purpose markets. The book places emphasis on oxidation, corrosion and surface modifications, designed to enhance the alloy surface stability. It covers a nature of oxides grown at elevated temperatures and oxidation characteristics of selected alloys in consort with elements of general and electrochemical corrosion. Medical applications are reflected that explore biocompatibility of magnesium alloys. Also techniques of surface modifications, designed to improve not only corrosion resistance but also corrosion fatigue, wear and other behaviors, are described. It will be a valuable resource for scientists and engineers from academia and industry. Magnesium is most commonly alloyed with other metals when being used in structural applications. Magnesium and its alloys which are chemically active can degrade naturally in the physiological environment by corrosion and are potential candidates in biodegradable hard-tissue implants. Magnesium alloys are mixtures of magnesium with other metals (called an alloy), often aluminum, zinc, manganese, silicon, copper, rare earths and zirconium. Magnesium is the lightest structural metal. Magnesium alloys have a hexagonal lattice structure, which affects the fundamental properties of these alloys.