The inhibition effect of etidronate on degradation behavior of Mg–Zn–Y-Nd-Zr alloy

The control of corrosion behavior of Mg alloys for biomedical applications is a research hotspot in the field of biodegradable metallic implant materials. In recent years, the employment of corrosion inhibitors for regulating the corrosion behavior of Mg alloys has attracted attention. In this work, a promising corrosion inhibitor for Mg alloys, Etidronate (ETN), was selected from the drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis, and its effect on the corrosion behavior of Mg–Zn–Y-Nd-Zr (ZE21C Mg alloy) in simulated body fluids was systematically studied. The results show that ETN not only reduces the corrosion rate of the alloy, but also significantly weakens its tendency of localized corrosion, which is beneficial for improving the service reliability of Mg alloy for orthopedic application. This study provides an idea for corrosion control of biodegradable Mg alloys and is of great significance for promoting their development and applications.