Recent developments of Zn-based medical implants

Abstract

After decades of developing strategies to employ biodegradable metals in medical devices, there is an increasing interest to use zinc (Zn) and Zn-based alloys as novel and promising alternatives to magnesium and iron. Over the last decade, extensive research has been done on Zn regarding its mechanical properties, degradation behavior, and biocompatibility. This chapter summarizes the recent progress in improving the properties of pure Zn as well as Zn alloys to make them appropriate for medical applications, especially for orthopedic implantation.