Abstract

A Short Note on Materials, techniques and biomedical applications

Author(s): Stephanie Mikos

Due to their capacity to self-degrade within the body, biodegradable metals emerged as promising candidates for fracture fixation devices. The devices face the greatest difficulties in achieving a sufficient degradation rate in relation to bone healing and providing safe degradation by-products. Magnesium alloys are the subject of intense research due to their promising properties; however, the hydrogen evolution that occurs during corrosion in aqueous media prevents their use in biomedical devices. Comparing treated and untreated AZ91 alloys, this study examines how the low potential anodizing process affects surface topography, electrochemical response, hydrogen evolution, and cell attachment in basic media. The degradation rate is also evaluated using a comparative method of determining the electrochemical parameters. Magnesium oxide/hydroxide can be formed on the surface of anodized aluminum by electrochemically treating it at a low voltage in a 5 mol/L KOH solution. This magnesium oxide/hydroxide could serve as a barrier to slow down the material's degradation and, as a result, reduce the amount of hydrogen released. In turn, this treatment made it easier for MCT3T3 pre-osteoblastic cells and bovine embryonic fibroblasts (BEFs) to stick to the surface, indicating that it could be used in temporary implants.c