Significant influence of trace Li on the mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and antibacterial properties of biodegradable Zn-4Cu alloys

In this work, trace Li was introduced to strengthen Zn-4Cu alloys. The results indicated that trace amounts of Li contributed to a significant increase in strength, resulting in an acceptable loss of elon-gation at fracture. Additionally, Li in the form of LiZn4 led to more intensive galvanic corrosion, which accelerated the early corrosion rate. The release of a large amount of Zn2 +, caused by the addition of Li, affected the phase composition of the main Zn-containing corrosion products. Moreover, the inhibition effect of the alloy on Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus) was enhanced by the addition of 0.02 wt.% Li.(c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Automated summary

This study investigated the strengthening effect of trace Li on Zn-4Cu alloys. It was found that the addition of trace amounts of Li significantly increased the strength while slightly reducing the elongation at fracture. Moreover, the presence of Li in the form of LiZn4 intensified galvanic corrosion and accelerated the early corrosion rate. The release of a large amount of Zn2+ caused by the addition of Li affected the phase composition of the main Zn-containing corrosion products. Additionally, the addition of 0.02 wt.% Li enhanced the inhibitory effect of the alloy on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).