In recent years there has been a renewed interest in magnesium alloys for
applications as temporary biomedical implants because magnesium is both
biocompatible and biodegradable. However, the rapid corrosion rate of
magnesium in physiological environments has prevented its successful use for
temporary implants. Since alloying is one of the routes to slow down
corrosion, we report in this publication our investigation of Mg-Ti alloys
fabricated by high-energy ball milling as possible materials for
biocompatible and biodegradable implants. Titanium was chosen mainly because
of its proven biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. Corrosion tests
carried out by immersing the Mg-Ti alloys in Hank’s Solution at 37°C showed
significantly improved corrosion resistance of the alloy in comparison to
pure magnesium. Thus, Mg-Ti alloys are promising new biodegradable and
biocompatible materials for temporary implants.