Graphene–calcium carbonate coating to improve the degradation resistance and mechanical integrity of a biodegradable implant
Lokesh Choudhary, Parama Chakraborty Banerjee, R.K. Singh Raman, Derrek E. Lobo, Christopher D. Easton, Mainak Majumder, Frank Witte, Jörg F. Löffler
Abstract
Biodegradable implants are critical for regenerative orthopaedic procedures, but they may suffer from too fast corrosion in human-body environment. This necessitates the synthesis of a suitable coating that may improve the corrosion resistance of these implants without compromising their mechanical integrity. In this study, an AZ91 magnesium alloy, as a representative for a biodegradable Mg implant material, was modified with a thin reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-calcium carbonate (CaCO3) composite coating. Detailed analytical and in-vitro electrochemical characterization reveals that this coating significantly improves the corrosion resistance and mechanical integrity, and thus has the potential to greatly extend the related application field.