Effects of compressive stress on the corrosion behavior of biodegradable zinc with tension-compression asymmetry under simulated physiological environment

Biodegradable Zn vascular stents are compressed by the vessel wall while maintaining blood flow, which may lead to unpredictable deterioration of the stent due to stress corrosion. This work investigated the mechanical and corrosion behavior of Zn in a coupled environment of compressive stress and artificial plasma. The corrosion rate of Zn increases as compressive stress rises. However, the acceleration effect gradually decreased in contrast to our previous work on tensile stresses, which can be attributed to the tension-compression asymmetry of Znmetal. Meanwhile, the corrosion mechanism of Zn was compared, and numerical models for stresses and corrosion rates were established.