Effect of surface-modified biodegradable Zinc-based alloys on their biological and corrosion properties in medical implants: A Review Article

Zinc and its alloys are considered as the most promising biodegradable metal material for clinical applications due to the appropriate biological degradation rate in the body, absorbable biodegradation products, and excellent biocompatibility. However, the strength of pure zinc is usually lower than the mechanical values required in metal implants such as bone fixtures or stents, which limits the wider applications of this metal. also excessive ion release (Zn2+) in the biological environment leads to high cell death and lack of acceptance by the host tissue. In order to improve the mechanical strength and adjust the release of Zn2+ ions, this metal can be alloying with other metal elements as well as various surface modification processes to increase biocompatibility. In this review, The progress that has been made in the field of increasing strength and biocompatibility, are stated. Finally, The direction of research in this field and guidance with the aim of developing absorbable zinc alloys with high performance in the future, has been discussed.