Electrochemical Evaluation of Hydroxyapatite/ZrN Coated Magnesium Biodegradable Alloy in Ringer Solution as a Simulated Body Fluid

Abstract

Magnesium alloys as biodegradable materials can be used in body as an implant materials but since they have poor corrosion resistance, it is required to decrease their corrosion rate by biocompatible coatings. In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings in the presence of an intermediate layer of ZrN as a biocompatible material, deposited on AZ91 magnesium alloy by ion
beam sputtering method at 300 °C temperature and at different times 180, 240, 300, 360 and 420 min. Then changes in corrosion resistance of samples in Ringer's solution as a solution similar to the human body was evaluated in two ways, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). To investigate the causes of the destruction of the samples, the surface of samples was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that because of porous coatings created, the corrosion potential of the samples was about +55mV higher than the uncoated substrate that by changing the deposition time, was not observed the significant change But with increasing deposition time to 360 min,  corrosion current decreased which represents an increase of corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy in body solution. However, a further increase in deposition time to 420 min, due to increase thickness and stress in the layer, the corrosion resistance of the samples was reduced. The results of the EIS confirm the corrosion behavior of the polarization method, too.