Metallic glasses for biodegradable implants

Metallic glasses are excellent candidates for biomedical implant applications due to their inherent strength and corrosion resistance. However, use of metallic glasses in structural applications is limited because bulk dimensions are challenging to achieve. Glass-forming ability (GFA) varies strongly with alloy composition and becomes more difficult to predict as the number of chemical species in a system increases. Here, we present a theoretical model - implemented in the AFLOW framework - for predicting GFA based on the competition between crystalline phases. The model is applied to biologically relevant binary and ternary systems. Elastic properties of Ca- and Mg-based systems are estimated for use in biodegradable orthopedic support applications. Alloys based on Ag0.33Mg0.67, Cu0.5Mg0.5, Cu0.37Mg0.63, and Cu0.25Mg0.5Zn0.25. and in the Ag-Ca-Mg and Ag-Mg-Zn systems, are recommended for further study. (C) 2019 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.