Optimising the torsional properties and corrosion resistance of biodegradable WE43 Mg alloy by ECAP and subsequent ageing

ABSTRACT

Torsional properties are important for bone screws and Mg alloys are promising biomedical materials, but lacks corresponding research on the torsional properties of biodegradable Mg alloys. In this paper, the extruded WE43 was processed by low-temperature ECAP and subsequent ageing treatment. The microstructure, mechanical and biodegradable properties of WE43 with different conditions were studied. The results showed that single-pass ECAP with subsequent ageing could significantly improve the mechanical properties of WE43, especially the torsional properties, and also exhibited high corrosion resistance as compared to multi-pass ECAP. These were mainly due to the effect of grain refinement, second phase particles and residual stress release. Thus, the combination of ECAP and ageing might be an efficient approach to obtain Mg alloys with high mechanical properties and corrosion resistance for bone screw application.

KEYWORDS:

• ECAP
• ageing treatment
• WE43
• torsional properties
• corrosion resistance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Key Program of China on Biomedical Materials Research and Tissue and Organ Replacement [2016YFC1101804 and 2016YFC1100604]; Shenyang Key Research & Development and Technology Transfer Program [Z18-0-027]