Significant influence of trace Li on the mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and antibacterial properties of biodegradable Zn–4Cu alloys

Abstract

In this work, trace Li was introduced to strengthen Zn–4Cu alloys. The results indicated that trace amounts of Li contributed to a significant increase in strength, resulting in an acceptable loss of elongation at fracture. Additionally, Li in the form of LiZn 4 led to more intensive galvanic corrosion, which accelerated the early corrosion rate. The release of a large amount of Zn 2+ , caused by the addition of Li, affected the phase composition of the main Zn-containing corrosion products. Moreover, the inhibition effect of the alloy on Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) was enhanced by the addition of 0.02 wt.% Li.

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