Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructural Evolution, Mechanical Properties, and Degradation Behavior of Zn-3Mg Alloy Fabricated by Laser Additive Manufacturing

TL;DR

This study shows how heat treatment can improve the strength and control the degradation of a zinc-magnesium alloy used in biomedical implants.

Contribution

The study reveals how specific heat treatments can regulate mechanical properties and degradation rates in Zn-3Mg implants.

Findings

Annealing at 250 °C for 1 h increased compressive strain by 10% while maintaining high strength.

Excessive heat treatment led to brittle phases and reduced mechanical performance.

Annealing increased corrosion rates due to micro-galvanic effects from secondary phases.

Abstract

The Zn-3Mg alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing is widely used in biomedical implants due to its excellent biocompatibility and favorable mechanical strength. However, its application is hindered by limited ductility and a relatively rapid degradation rate. This study investigated the influence of annealing heat treatment on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and degradation behavior of LPBF-fabricated Zn-3Mg porous implants. A systematic analysis of various annealing parameters revealed the evolution mechanisms of the microstructure, including grain coarsening and the precipitation and distribution of secondary phases Mg2Zn11 and MgZn2. The results indicated that appropriate annealing conditions (such as 250 °C for 1 h) significantly enhanced the compressive strain by 10%, while maintaining a high compressive strength of 24.72 MPa. In contrast, excessive annealing temperatures (e.g., 365 °C) promoted the formation of continuous brittle phases along grain boundaries, leading to deterioration in mechanical performance. The degradation behavior analysis illustrated a substantial increase in the corrosion rates from 0.6973 mm/year to 1.00165 mm/year after annealing at 250 °C for 0.5 h and 365 °C for 1 h, which can be attributed to the micro-galvanic effect induced by the presence of fine or coarse secondary phases that promoted localized corrosion. This study demonstrated synergistic regulation of mechanical properties and degradation behavior in the Zn-3Mg porous structures through optimized heat treatment, thereby providing essential theoretical and experimental supports for the clinical application of biodegradable zinc-based implants.

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