Role of partially amorphous structure and alloying elements on the corrosion behavior of Mg–Zn–Ca bulk metallic glass for biomedical applications

Highlights: • Analysis of the corrosion behavior of Mg–Zn–Ca metallic glasses through in-vitro electrochemical studies • Corrosion resistance of partially amorphous samples is greater as compared to their crystalline equivalents. • The corrosion rate decreased significantly with increasing Zn content. • Corrosion resistance increased due to the presence of CaMg₂ and CaZn₂ phases. - Abstract: Metallic glasses have emerged as promising biodegradable materials due to their excellent corrosion resistance properties. However, processing constraints for achieving desired section thickness have limited their real world applications. This study involves the development of partially amorphous bio-compatible and bio-degradable Mg₆₆Zn₃₀Ca₄ and Mg₆₀Zn₃₅Ca₅ alloys with adequate section thickness for bio-medical components. The corrosion rates of these alloys are analyzed through in-vitro corrosion studies. The combined contributions of the amorphous structure and alloying elements have been used to explain their corrosion behaviors.