A comparative investigation on microstructural, mechanical, and corrosion behavior of friction stir processed surface composite of magnesium alloy reinforced with nanoparticles
摘要
Magnesium and its alloys have been well known for human implant applications due to their similar structural and mechanical properties to bone and biodegradability. The aim of this research work was to investigate the comparative microstructural, microhardness, tensile, and corrosion properties of the nanoparticle-reinforced AZ91D alloy surface composites fabricated by the friction stir processing method for human implants. The FSP surface composites were fabricated with 15 wt.% reinforced with hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3(OH), as called HA), ZrO2, and Y2O3 nanoparticles into the AZ91D alloy at one, two, and three passes. The reinforcements were filled into the AZ91D alloy surface using the holes method; after that, surface processing was carried out with a 2.5° tilt angle, 800 rpm rotation, and 80 mm/min tool traverse speed. The microstructural changes were observed on the equal distribution of reinforcements and grain refinement into the processed surface matrix, which was analyzed by OM, SEM, EBSD, XRD, and EDS analysis. The average grain size in the processed surface was reduced by 2.5 µm, 3.1 µm, and 2.7 µm for Y2O3, HA, and ZrO2 incorporation at three passes. The microhardness and tensile strength of the AZ91D/ZrO2 composite were increased compared to the AZ91D/Y2O3 and AZ91D/HA composites at three passes due to increased nano-sized precipitation and the generation of a non-basal slip system due to dynamic recrystallization. The corrosion resistance of the processed surface was investigated through the immersion method using simulated body fluid (SBF). The corrosion resistance of the processed surface was increased with the increasing number of days due to an optimal beneficial effect of forming passive layers that chemically react with SBF fluid. However, the AZ91D/ZrO2 composite shows better corrosion resistance compared to the AZ91D/Y2O3 and AZ91D/HA composites due to increased chemically stable passive phase layers forming over the surface.