Fabrication, Microstructures, and Mechanical Properties of Zn-0.1Mg-1Mn (wt.%) Alloy Tube

Zn alloys are regarded as one of the most promising alloys for the bioresorbable medical devices due to their outstanding combination of mechanical performance, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. In the present paper, Zn-0.1Mg-1Mn alloy is selected and extruded into tubes at temperatures of 100, 200, and 300 degrees C in view of its high strength and elongation. The morphology, microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of the alloy tubes are evaluated. The grains are refined into the sizes of 1.0, 1.5, and 1.9 mu m at the extrusion temperature of 100, 200, and 300 degrees C, respectively. The precipitates arrange along the extrusion direction for the alloy extruded at 100 degrees C, gradually randomly disperse with the extrusion temperature increasing. The alloy extruded at 100 degrees C exhibits the excellent properties with the ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength, elongation of 405, 380 MPa, and 14%, respectively. The grain refinement and second phase precipitation are responsible for the enhanced strength and the non-basal plane texture contributes the good ductility of the alloy. The fabrication of Zn-0.1Mg-1Mn alloy tube pushes the Zn alloy a further step to produce potentially biodegradable stent.