MgNd2: a future resorbable magnesium-based implant material?

At present, resorbable materials for implant applications are of great interest in biomedical engineering. Furthermore, the magnesium alloy MgNd2 provides unique mechanical and corrosive characteristics combined with appropriate biocompatibility, making it an ideal candidate for resorbable biomedical applications. MgNd2 provides low strength, enabling plastic deformation at ~80 MPa and a tensile elongation of ~30%, which is exceptional for magnesium alloys. Mass-loss analyses using simulated body fluid have exhibited a slow and homogeneous corrosion behavior in vitro, revealing a corrosion rate of less than 1 mm/year. Using cell viability and cytocompatibility tests, a general biocompatibility determined for MgNd2 showed no negative impact on cells. Due to excellent characteristics of MgNd2, it was successfully introduced as a resorbable stenting material within biological air-ducting tubuli and, furthermore, demonstrated desired in situ deformation characteristics.