phosphorus-modified MgGe/Zn-Cu composite with improved mechanical, degradation, biotribological properties, and and osteogenesis and osteointegration performance for biodegradable bone-implant applications.

Zinc (Zn)-based composites are promising biodegradable bone-implant materials because of their good biocompatibility, processability, and biodegradability. Nevertheless, the low interfacial bonding strength, coordinated deformation capacity, and mechanical strength of current Zn-based composites hinder their clinical application. In this study, we developed a biodegradable 4MgGe/Zn-0.3Cu-0.05P composite (denoted ZMGCP) via phosphorus (P) modification and hot-rolling for bone-implant applications. The mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, biotribological performance, cytocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation, and osteogenesis and osteointegration of the as-cast (AC) and hot-rolled (HR) ZMGCP samples were systematically evaluated and compared to those of 4MgGe/Zn-0.3Cu (denoted ZMGC). The primary and eutectic reinforcement MgGe phases formed during solidification were refined after P modification and hot-rolling. The HR ZMGCP exhibited the best tensile properties among all the samples with an ultimate tensile strength of 288.9 MPa, a yield strength of 194.5 MPa, and an elongation of 17.7 %. The HR ZMGCP showed the lowest corrosion rate of 336 μm/a, 186 μm/a, and 61.7 μm/a as measured by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and immersion testing, respectively, among all the samples in Hanks' solution. The HR ZMGCP also showed higher biotribological resistance than its ZMGC counterpart. The HR ZMGCP exhibited the highest cytocompatibility, the best osteogenesis capability and angiogenesis property among the HR samples of pure Zn, ZMGC, and ZMGCP. Furthermore, the HR ZMGCP displayed complete biocompatibility, osteogenesis, osteointegration capability, and an appropriate degradation rate, showing significant potential for a biodegradable bone-implant material.