J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2025, Vol. 229: 235-251.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2025.01.012

• Research article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Impact of scandium on the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion behaviors and in-vitro biocompatibility of a Zn-0.1Li alloy

He Huanga,b,1, Gencheng Gongb,c,1, Hui Yud,1, Zhipei Tongb, Qinggong Jiaa, Liudang Fanga, Shaokang Guana, Jing-Jun Niee, DaFu Chene,*, Jing Baif,*, Dong Bianb,*, Yufeng Zhenga,g,*   

  1. aSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450003, China;
    bMedical Research Institute, Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China;
    cSchool of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China;
    dGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Spine Disease Prevention and Treatment, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China;
    eLaboratory of Bone Tissue Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, National Center for Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China;
    fCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China;
    gSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
  • Received:2024-09-27 Revised:2024-12-31 Accepted:2025-01-09 Published:2025-09-10 Online:2025-02-18
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: chendafujst@126.com (D. Chen), baijing@seu.edu.cn (J. Bai), biandong@gdph.org.cn (D. Bian), yfzheng@pku.edu.cn (Y. Zheng).
  • About author:1These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Abstract: The poor mechanical properties of pure zinc (Zn) restrain its applications in orthopedics, which requires high loading capacity. Alloying with lithium (Li) element can enhance strength, however, the work-hardening rate is impaired with increased Li content. Here, introducing scandium (Sc) into a low Li-containing Zn-0.1Li alloy could effectively refine its microstructure, reducing the average grain size from 10 to 4 μm. The refinement in microstructure led to a significant improvement in tensile strength, im-proving from 257 MPa of Zn-0.1Li to 341 MPa of Zn-0.1Li-0.1Sc, meanwhile, the work-hardening rate remained positive during the whole plastic deformation stage. The addition of Sc-impaired elongation is due to numerous microcracks formed at the Zn/ScZn12 interfaces, as well as in the large-sized ScZn12 particles. Corrosion tests revealed an accelerated corrosion rate due to the galvanic effect between the Zn matrix and ScZn12 phase. Even so, the Zn-0.1Li-1.0Sc alloy still exhibited superior biocompatibility with rat/mouse mesenchymal stem cells and close osteogenesis capacity to the original Zn-0.1Li alloy. These findings demonstrated that the addition of Sc in low Li-containing alloys could improve mechani-cal strength without sacrificing the work-hardening rate and biocompatibility.

Key words: Biodegradable zinc, Strengthening mechanism, Localized corrosion, Biocompatibility, ScZn12 phase

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