In vitro corrosion properties of mg matrix in situ composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Mg matrix in situ composites were fabricated from Mg and ZnO powder by a spark plasma sintering method. The composition and microstructure of the sintered samples were characterized. Corrosion properties of fabricated composites were evaluated by immersion and by electrochemical tests using Hanks’ solution. The results showed that the formation of in situ products improved significantly the corrosion resistance of the fabricated composites compared with pure Mg; Mg-10 wt % ZnO composites especially exhibited the lowest corrosion rate. In addition, an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that calcium phosphate formed as a corrosion product on the surface of Mg-10 wt % ZnO composites, while Mg(OH)₂ appeared as a corrosion product on the surface of Mg-20 wt % ZnO composite. The findings suggested Mg-10 wt % ZnO composite as a potential candidate for temporary implant application.