The rapid degradation characteristics of magnesium alloys limit its application in the field of orthopedic fracture fixation and cardiovascular stents. This study aimed to improve the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of AZ31 magnesium alloys and prepare degradable implant materials. Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) was used to change the concentration of yttrium acetate in the electrolyte to prepare coatings with different yttrium content on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloy. Through characterization, it is proved that the yttrium in the coating mainly exists in the form of Y3+. The polarization potential experiment shows that the micro-arc oxidation coating significantly improves the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys. With the increase of yttrium acetate concentration in the electrolyte, the corrosion resistance of the coating first increases and then weakens. When the concentration is 0.0035 mol/L, the coating has the highest corrosion resistance. The results of CCK-8 cytotoxicity experiment and cell morphology observation also proved that the cell viability in each group was greater than 140%, and the yttrium-doped coating on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloy has no cytotoxicity, can promote cell growth, and has good biocompatibility.
Keywords: Micro-arc oxidation; corrosion resistance; cytocompatibility; magnesium alloy; yttrium.