Corrosion behavior of Mg and Mg-Zn alloys in simulated body fluid

The corrosion behavior of Mg and Mg-Zn in simulated body fluid was studied. The mass loss of pure Mg, Mg-Zn-Zr and Mg-Zn-Zr-Y in simulated body fluid was measured using photovoltaic scale meter. Corrosion rate was determined through electrochemical tests. Finally, the corrosion mechanism was thermodynamically studied. The results show that the corrosion rate decreases with the lapse of time for both pure Mg and Mg alloys. The purer the alloy, the better the corrosion resistance exhibits. The corrosion behavior of Mg alloy is improved by the addition of trace Y.