Improved corrosion resistance Zr-2Ag alloy doped with Co element for biomaterial screw dental implant

Abstract

Implant materials offer a promising avenue for addressing human organ damage or dysfunction. The diverse requirements associated with implants or biomaterials drive ongoing research efforts. One critical criterion for implant materials is robust corrosion resistance to mitigate the risk of rejection within the body. This study aims to evaluate the corrosion behavior of Zr-Ag-Co implant material in lactated Ringer's solution. Zr-Ag-Co implant material, with 5% and 7.5% Co content, was synthesized via a melting process utilizing a Single Arc Melting Furnace under an argon gas atmosphere. The synthesized materials were characterized using optical microscopy and Vickers hardness testing. Corrosion behaviour was assessed employing a potentiostat with the Tafel polarization method in Ringer's lactate solution. Optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the presence of phases such as -Zr and -Zr, along with intermetallic compounds Zr₂Co and Zr2Ag. Hardness testing indicated that the increase of Co content led to elevated hardness values for the Zr-Ag-Co alloy, ranging from 496.87 to 510.44 HV.