A novel approach to surface modification was developed to improve the corrosion performance of biodegradable magnesium alloys. Additively manufactured magnesium samples and Mg-Mn-based magnesium alloys were used in this study. This method involves the combination of plasma electrolytic oxidation to create a porous ceramic-like matrix, followed by treatment with protective biocompatible agents. The most efficient method for the PEO-layer impregnation using sodium oleate and polycaprolactone was selected and optimized. The correlation between the structure, composition, and protective properties of the hybrid coatings was established. The composition of the formed polymer-containing layers was established using XPS and Raman microspectroscopy. The presence of sodium oleate and its distribution across the coating surface was confirmed at the microscale. The corrosion-protection level of the hybrid layers was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, hydrogen evolution testing, and gravimetry (mass-loss tests) in vitro. The oleate-containing polycaprolactone layers (HC-SO 0.1-2) demonstrated stable corrosion behavior even after 7 days of immersion in Hank's balanced salt solution. The corrosion-current density and impedance modulus measured at a frequency of 0.1 Hz for the samples with hybrid coating after 7 days of exposure were equal to 5.68 × 10-8 A∙cm-2 and 2.03 × 106 Ω∙cm2, respectively. The developed method of surface modification demonstrates the coating's self-healing properties. The effectiveness of employing hybrid anticorrosive bioactive PEO coatings for biomedical products made from magnesium and its alloys was demonstrated.
Keywords: active corrosion protection; corrosion inhibitor; magnesium; magnesium alloys; plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO); polycaprolactone (PCL); protective coating; sodium oleate.