On the corrosion behaviour of newly developed biodegradable Mg-based metal matrix composites produced by in situ reaction

Biodegradable Mg-based metal matrix composite (Mg-MMC) reinforced by MgO ceramics and Mg–Zn intermetallics were prepared by in situ reaction using a powder mixture of pure magnesium and 20 wt% ZnO as raw materials. The corrosion behaviour of Mg-MMC was evaluated by electrochemical measurements and immersion tests in Hanks’ solution. Results show that the newly developed Mg-MMC is composed of α-Mg matrix and uniformly distributed MgO ceramic and Mg–Zn intermetallics in matrix as reinforcements. The Mg-MMC possesses a corrosion behaviour comparable to pure magnesium and exhibits enhanced improvement in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.

► Mg-based metal matrix composite (Mg-MMC) reinforced by MgO ceramics and Mg–Zn intermetallics was fabricated by in situ sintering reaction. ► Mg-MMCs exhibit significant improvement in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance relative to pure Mg. ► The Mg-MMC might be a promising candidate as full degradable biomedical materials.