Amorphous and Crystalline Magnesium Alloys for Biomedical Applications

Amorphous and crystalline magnesium alloys, developed for medical applications – especially implantology – present the characteristics of biocompatible magnesium alloys (Mg-Zn, Mg-Zn-Ca, Mg-Ca etc.). This chapter provides a brief description of the role of magnesium in the human body and the use of Mg in medicine. It presents the concept of using magnesium alloys in medicine (advantages and limitations) and the scope of their potential applications (orthopedic implantology, cardiac surgery etc.). The chapter shows classification of magnesium alloys as potential biomaterials, due to their structure (amorphous, crystalline) and alloying elements (rare earth elements, noble metals etc.). The mechanism and in vitro degradation behavior of magnesium alloys with amorphous and crystalline structures are described. The chapter also discusses the influence of alloying elements (rare earth elements, noble metals) on the in vitro degradation process. It also presents the methods of reducing the degradation rate of magnesium alloys by modifying their surface (application of protective layers).