The development of bioabsorbable implants from Zn alloys is one of the main interests in the new generation of biomaterials. The main drawbacks of Zn-based materials are their insufficient mechanical properties. In the presented studies, a quaternary alloy composed of zinc with magnesium (0.2–1 wt. %), calcium (0.1–0.5 wt. %) and strontium (0.05–0.5 wt. %) was prepared by gravity casting followed by hot extrusion and then by hydrostatic extrusion. Microstructural characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analysis was performed. The mechanical properties were examined, using static tensile tests. Corrosion properties were analyzed using immersion tests. Samples were immersed in Hanks’ solution (temperature = 37 °C, pH = 7.4) for 14 days. All alloys were subjected after corrosion to SEM observations on the surface and cross-section. The corrosion rate was also calculated. The microstructure of the investigated quaternary alloy consists of the α-Zn grains and intermetallic phases Mg2Zn11, CaZn13 and SrZn13 with different grain sizes and distribution, which impacted both mechanical and corrosion properties. Thanks to the alloying by the addition of Mg, Ca, and Sr and plastic deformation using hydrostatic extrusion, outstanding mechanical properties were obtained along with improvement in uniformity of corrosion rate.

Microstructure, mechanical, and corrosion properties of as-cast pure zinc and its binary and ternary alloys with magnesium (Mg), and copper (Cu) additions were investigated. Analysis of microstructure conducted by scanning electron microscopy revealed that alloying additives contributed to decreasing average grain size compared to pure zinc. Corrosion rate was calculated based on immersion and potentiodynamic tests and its value was lower for materials with Cu content. Moreover, it was shown that the intermetallic phase, formed as a result of Mg addition, constitutes a specific place for corrosion. It was observed that a different type of strengthening was obtained depending on the additive used. The presence of the second phase with Mg improved the tensile strength of the Zn-based materials, while Cu dissolved in the solution had a positive effect on their elongation.