Acceleration of the corrosion reaction of magnesium by Fenton reagents

Magnesium alloys have attracted increased attention for a variety of applications, chief among which are alternative energy and medical implants. The use of biodegradable implants in the complex system of the human body, in which myriad reactions occur, must consider the potential effects of the body’s natural chemical reactions on implant corrosion rates. The aim of this study was to elucidate the synergistic effects of pure Mg and Mg alloys on the Mg corrosion reaction with reagents that participate in the Fenton reaction. We corroborated our results with six different measurement methods (hydrogen evolution rate [HER], gas chromatography [GC], potentiodynamic polarization, inductively coupled plasma [ICP] spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy [AES], and scanning electron microscope [SEM]). The results point out that the corrosion and hydrogen evaluation rates of Mg were elevated by the addition of Fenton reagents, divalent iron and hydrogen peroxide, to a saline solution. In the context of Mg-based alloy medical implant development and use, this observation is significant.