Improved Corrosion Resistance of As-Extruded GZ51K Biomagnesium Alloy with High Mechanical Properties by Aging Treatment

Effects of aging treatment on microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of the as-extruded Mg-5Gd-1Zn-0.6Zr (GZ51K, wt.%) alloy were investigated. Microstructure was observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, mechanical properties were tested on a tensile test machine and a microhardness tester, and corrosion behavior was evaluated by mass loss and polarization tests. It is found that most of equiaxed α-Mg grains have long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure, and some of them have no LPSO structure. Long-elongated grains are formed in the as-extruded alloy due to partial recrystallization and disappear after being aged at 200 and 220 °C. The as-extruded alloy exhibits both high-yield strength and high ductility. The mechanical properties of the alloy are not apparently enhanced, but the corrosion resistance is significantly improved after aging treatment. Moreover, the alloy with LPSO structure presents uniform corrosion mode in simulated body fluid. The GZ51K alloy with high mechanical properties and uniform corrosion behavior is worthy to be further investigated for biomedical applications.