title: Influence of circumferential notch and fatigue crack on the mechanical integrity of biodegradable magnesium-based alloy in simulated body fluid.
abstract: Applications of magnesium alloys as biodegradable orthopaedic implants are critically dependent on the mechanical integrity of the implant during service. In this study, the mechanical integrity of an AZ91 magnesium alloy was studied using a constant extension rate tensile (CERT) method. The samples in two different geometries that is, circumferentially notched (CN), and circumferentially notched and fatigue cracked (CNFC), were tested in air and in simulated body fluid (SBF). The test results show that the mechanical integrity of the AZ91 magnesium alloy decreased substantially (∼50%) in both the CN and CNFC samples exposed to SBF. Fracture surface analysis revealed secondary cracks suggesting stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the alloy in SBF.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia. bobby.mathan@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bobby Kannan
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Singh Raman
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blawert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dietzel
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D001826:Body Fluids; D003343:Corrosion; D008274:Magnesium; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D008274:Magnesium