ABSTRACT
The interest in magnesium and its alloys for biomedical applications is constantly increasing. However, their use in such applications is yet limited, hampered by their low mechanical properties and low corrosion resistance. In fact, the risks of implant desorption/failure before the healing process is completed and the risks of biocompatibility issues related to H2 gas pocket formation are still too high. In this chapter, future trends of the research are presented. In particular, coatings, severe plastic deformation techniques and heat treatments are considered, and an overview of their advantages and disadvantages is provided. In addition, the importance of considering the optimization of corrosion and mechanical properties as a single aim and not as two separate entities is highlighted, especially under the perspective of susceptibility of these alloys to corrosion-assisted cracking phenomena, such as stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue. Finally, the purity of the alloy has been indicated as another key research line to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.
