Multilayer Al2O3/ZrO2 coatings via PEALD for enhanced corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of biodegradable Mg–Ca alloys
Journal
Materials Chemistry and Physics
Journal Volume
345
Start Page
131297
ISSN
0254-0584
Date Issued
2025-11-01
Author(s)
Chen, Hou-Jen
Yang, Kai-Chiang
Lin, Pi-Chen
Lin, Kaifan
Wang, Chen-Chie
Chiu, Chun
Abstract
In this study, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) was used to coat biodegradable magnesium-calcium (Mg–Ca) alloys with Al2O3 and ZrO2 multilayer films to enhance their corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. To evaluate the trend of multilayer stacking, single-, double-, and four-layer coatings were prepared with a constant total thickness of ∼20 nm, allowing for direct comparison of layer structure effects on corrosion resistance and mechanical performance. The results showed that the four-layer 2×(Al2O3/ZrO2) films significantly improved corrosion resistance, reducing the corrosion current from 1.63 × 10−5 A/cm2 in bare Mg–Ca samples to 1.85 × 10−7 A/cm2. These films also exhibited the highest crack resistance and superior mechanical properties compared to the single-layer films. Based on these results, the total film thickness was increased to 1000 cycles to evaluate the biocompatibility further. MG63 osteoblast culture experiments demonstrated that multilayer Al2O3/ZrO2 films promoted significantly better cell adhesion and proliferation compared to single-layer Al2O3 films. These findings highlight the potential of PEALD multilayer Al2O3/ZrO2 coatings for enhancing both corrosion protection and biocompatibility of Mg–Ca alloys, underscoring their suitability for orthopedic implant applications.
Subjects
Atomic layer deposition
Corrosion protection
Electrochemical test
Magnesium-calcium alloy
Multilayer
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article