Enhanced Mg–Zn–Ca Alloys Reinforced with Rare Earth Oxides for Biomedical Applications: Experimental Insights and ANFIS-Based Modeling

Abstract

To enhance the corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, tribological, and mechanical properties of magnesium (Mg) alloys intended for biomedical implants, a new approach utilizing a microwave-sintered in situ hot extrusion-based powder metallurgy process was used to develop Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca/xCeO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_2$$\end{document} (x = 0.5, 1, and 1.5 vol%) nanocomposites. The introduction of ceria nanoparticles (CONPs) has improved the compression characteristics of the nanocomposites in comparison with the monolithic Mg, and the ternary base alloy. The corrosion test results revealed that the alloy and nanocomposites promoted the formation of the magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_2$$\end{document}) and hydroxyapatite (HA) layers on the sample surface. Among all samples, Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca /1.0CeO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_2$$\end{document} demonstrated the lowest corrosion rate. In vitro cytocompatibility assessments were conducted through an extract assay method for different time periods, employing MG-63 cells. The developed alloy and nanocomposites demonstrated no harmful effects on MG-63 cells. An investigation into the dry sliding tribological characteristics of the alloy and nanocomposites at varied loads revealed several wear mechanisms, including abrasion, adhesion, delamination, oxidation, and plastic deformation. The addition of CONPs significantly enhanced the wear resistance of the nanocomposites. Our results provide a new venue to enhance the biocompatibility and in vitro degradation behavior of well-established Mg-Zn-Ca alloys, with a particular focus on the mechanical integrity of the developed samples for their clinical usage. An Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference system (ANFIS)-based modeling approach was also developed to individually characterize nanocomposite corrosion, cell viability, and wear behavior. The predictions offer compelling evidence of the reliability and accuracy of the proposed modeling strategy.