Microstructure, corrosion behavior and cytotoxicity of biodegradable Mg–Sn implant alloys prepared by sub-rapid solidification

• Biodegradable Mg–Sn implant alloys were prepared by sub-rapid solidification.
• Secondary dendrite arm spacing of alloys decreased with increasing Sn content.
• Corrosion rates of alloys increased significantly with increasing Sn content.
• Mg–1Sn and Mg–3Sn alloys were harmless to MG63 cells.

In this study, biodegradable Mg–Sn alloys were fabricated by sub-rapid solidification, and their microstructure, corrosion behavior and cytotoxicity were investigated by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, immersion test, potentiodynamic polarization test and cytotoxicity test. The results showed that the microstructure of Mg–1Sn alloy was almost equiaxed grain, while the Mg–Sn alloys with higher Sn content (Sn ≥ 3 wt.%) displayed α-Mg dendrites, and the secondary dendrite arm spacing of the primary α-Mg decreased significantly with increasing Sn content. The Mg–Sn alloys consisted of primary α-Mg matrix, Sn-rich segregation and Mg2Sn phase, and the amount of Mg2Sn phases increased with increasing Sn content. Potentiodynamic polarization and immersion tests revealed that the corrosion rates of Mg–Sn alloys increased with increasing Sn content. Cytotoxicity test showed that Mg–1Sn and Mg–3Sn alloys were harmless to MG63 cells. These results of the present study indicated that Mg–1Sn and Mg–3Sn alloys were promising to be used as biodegradable implants.