Evaluation of in vitro fatigue properties of biodegradable Mg–0.3at.%Ca alloy

Abstract

Recently, biodegradable bone fixation devices have been demanded when considering the patient’s quality of life (QOL). During the fracture healing, the devices must support the repeated load due to daily performance. At the same time, surface of the magnesium devices was affected by body fluid. Thus in this research, in vitro fatigue properties of biodegradable Mg–0.3at.%Ca alloy was evaluated by using simulated body fluid. Though there was fatigue limit when the test was conducted under the ambient condition, it cannot be confirmed during the test in the simulated body fluid. Inspection of fracture surface revealed that crack propagated along the grain boundary after both the fatigue tests.