Ag distribution and corrosion behaviour of the plasma electrolytic oxidized antibacterial Mg-Ag alloy

The application of biodegradable Mg alloys as implanted devices has been hindered by their low corrosion resistance and potential risk associated with microbial infection. In the present work, a rolled Mg-Ag alloy was studied, which was subjected to plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to achieve a favoured balance between corrosion resistance and antimicrobial capability. The Ag distribution, corrosion resistance and Ag ionic release behaviour have been examined in details. It is revealed that PEO process leads to both incorporated Ag+ and Agrich nanoparticles in forms of metallic Ag and Ag oxide across the coating. In addition, a nano-sized Ag-enriched layer also exists at the substrate/coating interface. The microstructural modification associated with PEO process results in an increased corrosion resistance and a sustained Ag ionic release, indicating that it is a promising surface modification technique for antibacterial Mg-Ag alloy.

Automated summary

In this study, a rolled Mg-Ag alloy was subjected to plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to achieve a balance between corrosion resistance and antibacterial capability. The PEO process led to improved corrosion resistance and sustained release of silver ions.