A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Biodegradable behavior and mechanical performance of Mg-Zn alloys in acidic urinary environments relevant to renal tubular acidosis
Authors: Li, Yi; Lu, Chao; Shen, Kai; Wu, Xia; Bai, Jingyuan; Liu, Zhihui; Cai, Zhihui; Liu, Weiqing; Xiong, Chunmei; Papageorgiou, Anastassios; Zhao, Zhanyong; Morozova, Natalia Borisovna; Staiger, Mark; Tie, Di
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Progress in Natural Science: Materials International
Volume: 36
Issue: 2
First page : 382
Last page: 392
ISSN: 1002-0071
eISSN: 1745-5391
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnsc.2026.01.001
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: No Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnsc.2026.01.001
Magnesium-zinc (Mg-Zn) alloys have attracted considerable attention as implant materials due to their inherent biodegradability. Herein, we evaluate their performance in the acidic urinary environment characteristic of renal tubular acidosis (RTA). To this end, the corrosion response, degradation performance, and mechanical properties of Mg-xZn alloys with different zinc contents were examined in artificial urine (pH 5.7) designed to mimic RTA conditions. Relative to pure Mg, the Mg-6Zn alloy demonstrated a 2.35 times higher hardness and a 2.58 times higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS), reflecting substantial mechanical reinforcement. Initial immersion tests indicated that corrosion severity first decreased and then increased with higher Zn content. After 30 days, although the overall degradation of Mg-Zn alloys was greater than that of pure Mg, a reduced susceptibility to pitting corrosion was observed. Furthermore, the alloys maintained a UTS above 148.9 MPa and an elongation of 3.17 %, confirming preservation of essential mechanical integrity during degradation. These results highlight the potential of Mg-Zn alloys as functional biodegradable materials and provide insights for the design of next-generation magnesium-based bioresorbable implants.
Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52171235, 5241102867 and 52111540263), Guangdong Science and Technology Program (2025ZDZX2028), Xinjiang Science and Technology Program (2025E01044), Yangjiang Talent Revitalization Program (RCZX2023004), and Guangdong Ocean University (YJR24003).
