Miao Yang

To develop novel biodegradable magnesium alloys with suitable corrosion resistance and mechanical properties for orthopedic applications, this study investigated the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion behavior and wear resistance of as-cast and near-solidus heat-treated Mg-3Zn-0.3Mn alloys with and without Gd/Nd additions (RE-free, 1Gd, 1Gd1Nd). Rare earth addition refined the grains and transformed the secondary phase from Mg₇Zn₃ to the W-phase (Mg₃RE₂Zn₃). The as-cast 1Gd1Nd alloy showed the finest grains, highest hardness (51.3 HB), best tensile strength (189.38 MPa), lowest corrosion rate (2.80 mm/y) and lowest wear rate (0.614 × 10⁻³ mm³/(N·m)). Near-solidus heat treatment slightly decreased hardness (1–3%) but significantly reduced corrosion rate (e.g., RE-free alloy from 3.61 to 2.78 mm/y) and wear rate. The heat-treated 1Gd1Nd alloy gave the best overall performance: corrosion rate 2.68 mm/y, tensile strength 213.71 MPa and elongation 12.96%. Gd promoted grain refinement and film stability, while Nd stabilized the W-phase, showing a clear combined addition benefit. Notably, the heat-treated RE-free alloy performed similarly to the as-cast 1Gd1Nd alloy, indicating that heat treatment can partially mimic rare earth addition. This work provides a baseline for precursor materials before further processing (e.g., extrusion) toward biodegradable implant applications.

Gravity casting and semi-solid extrusion were employed to prepare Mg₂Si-Al composites. X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS analysis, Vickers hardness testing, and tensile testing were used to compare the microstructures and mechanical properties of the two composites, aiming to clarify the effects of the fabrication processes and aging times on their microstructures and mechanical performance. The findings show that semi-solid extrusion converts dendritic α-Al into spherical or ellipsoidal grains (60 ± 25 μm) and induces the spheroidization of Mg₂Si reinforcing phases (29 ± 12 μm). Vickers hardness data show that both composites exhibit a rise-and-fall hardness trend with an increasing aging time, reaching a maximum at 8 h. At this aging stage, the semi-solid extruded composite has a Vickers hardness of 214 ± 32.71 HV, 22.99% higher than that of the gravity-cast composite under the same treatment. Tensile tests demonstrate that the semi-solid extruded composite attains its best tensile strength (254 MPa) and elongation (3.26%) at 8 h of aging. Compared with the semi-solid extruded composites aged for 4 h and 16 h, the 8 h-aged sample exhibits 32.30%/49.41% higher tensile strength and 52.34%/38.72% higher elongation, respectively. After 8 h of aging, the semi-solid extruded composite shows a 59.75% increase in tensile strength and an 88.44% increase in elongation compared with the gravity-cast composite.

The microstructure and wear behaviors of Mg₂Si/Al composites with 0 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 10 wt.% SiC particles were studied using XRD, OM observation, SEM observation, EDS analysis, an extraction experiment, a hardness test, and the dry sliding wear test. It is shown by the results that after the addition of 10 wt.% SiC particles, the population of primary Mg₂Si particles increased, while the mean size of these particles reduced from 40 ± 10 μm (in the SiC-free composite) to 25 ± 8 μm. Both the matrix and the eutectic structure were refined. The tetrakaidecahedral morphologies of Mg₂Si crystals were confirmed by the results of extraction tests. The wear test results with GCr15 steel as the friction pair show that the Mg₂Si/Al composite with 10 wt.% SiC particles displayed more favorable wear resistance than the specimens with 0 wt.% and 5 wt.% SiC particle additions under both constant load and constant sliding velocity conditions. Under applied loads of 10 N, 20 N, and 30 N at a fixed sliding speed of 300 r/min, the wear rate of the Mg₂Si-Al composites reinforced with 10 wt.% SiC particles was 36.01%, 48.29%, and 23.32% lower than that of the SiC-free composites, respectively. When the sliding speed was set to 300 r/min, 550 r/min, 750 r/min, and 1000 r/min under a constant applied load of 20 N, the wear rate of the 10 wt.% SiC-reinforced Mg₂Si-Al composites was reduced by 40.37%, 40.87%, 26.20%, and 25.78%, respectively, compared with the SiC-free counterparts. The wear failure mechanisms of (Mg₂Si + SiC_P)/Al composites were mainly adhesive wear and abrasive wear, but the proportion of oxidation wear increased after the addition of the SiC particles.

Hydrogen embrittlement and the anodic dissolution mechanism are two important aspects of the corrosion behavior of magnesium alloys. Here, to evaluate the effects of these two aspects on the corrosion failure of magnesium alloys under stress, the stress and corrosion behaviors of the AM50 magnesium alloy in air, deionized water, and NaCl solution after solid-solution (T4) treatment were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, slow strain rate tensile testing, and vacuum dehydrogenation. The as-cast AM50 magnesium alloy was mainly composed of the α-Mg and β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phases. After T4 treatment, the amount of the β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase was significantly reduced, and only a small amount existed at the grain boundaries. After T4 treatment, the stress corrosion resistance in deionized water improved, but it decreased in an NaCl environment. Dehydrogenation experiments showed that the effect of hydrogen on the corrosion process was weakened owing to the decrease of the β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase after solution treatment. The effects of hydrogen embrittlement and the anodic dissolution mechanism on the corrosion behavior of the AM50 magnesium alloy under stress were different. In deionized water, the hydrogen embrittlement mechanism played the major role, while the anodic dissolution mechanism played the major role in the presence of Cl⁻ ions.

In situ Mg₂Si–Al composites were prepared by using gravity casting and semi-solid extrusion. After P modification, the primary Mg₂Si transformed to polygonal blocks. Extraction tests showed that the Mg₂Si crystals had octahedral and tetrakaidekahedral morphologies. The semi-solid microstructure of the double-spheroidized α-Al matrix and reinforced-phase Mg₂Si was successfully obtained by using semi-solid extrusion. Extraction tests showed that the Mg₂Si crystals had a spherical morphology. Dry sliding wear behaviors of in situ Mg₂Si–Al composites fabricated by using gravity casting and semi-solid extrusion with isothermal heat treatment holding times of 50, 60, and 160 min against 45 steel, under conditions of different sliding speeds and loads, were investigated. The worn surfaces were analyzed using SEM and EDS techniques. The results showed that Mg₂Si–Al composites fabricated by using semi-solid extrusion were superior in terms of wear resistance to Mg₂Si–Al composites fabricated by using gravity casting, because the former had uniformly distributed spherical reinforced phase particles of Mg₂Si with weaker stress concentration around the particles, delaying the generation and expansion of cracks. The Mg₂Si particles were not easily detached from the matrix, and once they fell off, the Mg₂Si particles only served as spherical abrasive grains, with relatively small cutting and wear properties for the composite material. It was found that the Mg₂Si/Al composite fabricated by using semi-solid extrusion with an isothermal heat treatment holding time of 60 min had the best wear resistance. The failure mechanisms of Mg₂Si/Al composites were found to be mainly adhesive wear and abrasive wear.

A new type of high strength corrosion-resistant magnesium alloy was prepared by adding 1% rare earth Gd to AM50 and then treated with hot extrusion method. The stress corrosion properties of the new materials in air, pure water, 0.5 mol/L NaCl, and 0.5 mol/L Na₂SO₄ solution were studied by the slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) test, in situ open circuit potential test, Tafel curve test, stereomicroscope, SEM, and EDS. The results showed the following. The stress corrosion sensitivity of the material in different environments was Na₂SO₄ > NaCl > distilled water > air. According to the Tafel curves measured at 0 and 100 MPa, the corrosion voltage decreased little and the corrosion current density increased rapidly under 100 Pa. This was because the film of the corrosion product ruptured to form a large cathode and a small anode, which resulted in a large instantaneous corrosion current. The mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement and anodic dissolution together affected the stress corrosion behavior of the alloy. In distilled water, hydrogen embrittlement played a major role, while in NaCl and Na₂SO₄ solution, hydrogen embrittlement and anodic dissolution were both affected. The direct reason of the stress corrosion crack (SCC) samples’ failure was the cracks expanding rapidly at the bottom of pit, which was caused by corrosion.

The effects of the single and compound addition of rare earth Gd and Er on corrosion resistance and residual strength of as-cast AM50 magnesium alloy were studied using XRD, SEM, EDS, the weightlessness test, electrochemistry method, and tensile test. The results of XRD and SEM showed that Al₃Er, Al₂Gd₃, and Al–Mn–Gd(Er) phases appeared in the alloy structure after the addition of rare earth Er and Gd. The results from the weightlessness test and Tafel curves show that the corrosion resistance of the modified composite rare earth was improved. Stress concentration caused by a corrosion pit is the direct cause of the tensile samples after corrosion. The corrosion residual strength of modified composite rare earth specimens is better than that of modified single rare earth samples. Fracture analysis indicates that the addition of rare earth elements did not change the fracture mechanism of the alloy, and the fracture was still the cleavage fracture.

To improve the corrosion and mechanical properties of the AM50 magnesium alloy, different amounts of the rare earth element gadolinium were used. The microstructure, corrosion and mechanical properties were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and electrochemical and mechanical stretch methods. The results indicate that, with Gd addition, the amount of the Al₂Gd₃ phase increased while the β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase amount decreased. Due to the Gd addition, the grain of the AM50 magnesium alloy was significantly refined, which improved its tensile strength. Further, the decrease in the amount of the β phase improved the corrosion resistance of the alloy. The fracture mechanism of the Gd-modified AM50 magnesium alloy was a quasi-cleavage fracture. Finally, the optimum corrosion residual strength of the AM50 magnesium alloy occurred with 1 wt.%of added Gd.