Microstructure, mechanical property and corrosion behaviors of interpenetrating C/Mg-Zn-Mn composite fabricated by suction casting

A novel interpenetrating C/Mg-Zn-Mn composite was fabricated by infiltrating Mg-Zn-Mn alloy into porous carbon using suction casting technique. The microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviors of the composite have been evaluated by means of SEM, XRD, mechanical testing and immersion test. It was shown that the composite had a compact structure and the interfacial bonding between Mg-Zn-Mn alloy and carbon scaffold was very well. The composite had an ultimate compressive strength of (195 ± 15) MPa, which is near with the natural bone (2–180 MPa) and about 150-fold higher than that of the original porous carbon scaffold, and it still retained half of the strength of the bulk Mg-Zn-Mn alloy. The corrosion test indicated that the mass loss percentage of the composite was 52.9% after 30 days′ immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 ± 0.5 °C, and the corrosion rates were 0.043 mg/cm2h and 0.028 mg/cm2h after 3 and 7 days′ immersion, respectively. The corrosion products on the composite surface were mainly Mg(OH)2 and hydroxyapatite (HA).

► C/Mg-Zn-Mn composite was fabricated by infiltrating Mg-Zn-Mn alloy into porous carbon.
► The microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties of the composite were investigated.
► It showed composite had an compact structure and good interfacial bonding.
► And the ultimate compressive strength is near with the natural bone.
► Meanwhile, the corrosion mechanism of the composite has been explained.