Title: Thermoplastic formability of CaMgZn bulk metallic glasses for biomedical applications

Authors: Jake D. Cao; Kevin J. Laws; Cathy Liu; Michael Ferry

Addresses: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia ' Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia ' Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia ' Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia

Abstract: Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) based on the Mg-Zn-Ca ternary system have shown promise as a potential bioresorbable material. Amongst these, Ca-rich BMGs have demonstrated superior thermoplastic formability. However, corrosion assessments showed that these BMGs can disintegrate within hours. Ca₅₅Mg_17.5Zn_27.5 was synthesised to improve its corrosion resistance over other Ca-rich BMGs whilst maintaining its thermoplastic formability. In the present study, the thermoplastic formability of Ca₅₅Mg_17.5Zn_27.5 is compared with Ca-rich and Mg-rich BMGs. A dilatometer was used to measure the associated contraction (softening) in the material as it is heated above its glass transition temperature. Although the enrichment of Zn in Ca₅₅Mg_17.5Zn_27.5 reduced the temperature range of its supercooled liquid region, this alloy exhibits significantly lower viscosity within this region compared to the other BMGs, deeming it more favourable for complex thermoplastic forming processing.

Keywords: bulk metallic glass; CaMgZn; thermoplastic forming; TPF; DSC; differential scanning calorimetry; dilatometry; calcium; zinc; magnesium; corrosion resistance; formability; bioresorbable materials; biomedical applications; viscosity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2013.058962

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2013 Vol.47 No.1/2/3/4, pp.233 - 240

Received: 14 Jan 2013
Accepted: 23 Aug 2013
Published online: 28 Jun 2014 *

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