Magnesium (Mg) alloys are gaining interest for biodegradable medical implant devices due to a good combination of mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Nevertheless, the fast degradation rates of Mg and its biocompatible alloys in the aggressive physiological environment impose limitations on their clinical applications. This necessitates the development of Mg based implants with controlled degradation rates to match the kinetics of the bone and tissue healing process and to avoid any complications or issues that might negatively impact surrounding tissues. The current study presents alloy design and thermomechancial processing to optimize the mechanical and biological properties of a new proprietary Mg based alloy. Its corrosion profiles have been evaluated by a combination of in vitro and in vivo experimental studies. The corrosion rates of laboratory samples and prototype devices have been examined via long term immersion studies by measuring the cumulative amount of hydrogen (H2) that is emitted by samples. The cumulative H2 measurements have a direct correlation to the mass loss that the Mg alloy samples undergo during the duration of the tests. The results of the current in vitro corrosion studies are compared to 52 week small animal studies to develop predictive models for designing future biomedical devices.

Key words: conference papers, 2017 conference papers, magnesium, alloys, thermomechanical processing, bioabsorbable implants, corrosion