Effect of 2 wt.% Addition of Fe on the Compressive Properties and Corrosion Behavior of Zn-HAp-Fe Material

The present work deals in developing new zinc-based composite material for bone repair using a powder metallurgy process. Zinc (Zn), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and iron (Fe) powders were mechanically mixed with ball milling. Subsequently, the powder mixture was compacted to form the green compact. After that, the green compacts were sintered using a microwave sintering furnace. The mechanical and electrochemical behaviors of the prepared Zn-based samples were tested as per the standards. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopic examinations revealed the existence of HAp and Fe in the Zn matrix. The compressive yield strength and compressive strength of the developed Zn-5HAp-2Fe material were found to be 117.91 +/- 7.42 and 170.87 +/- 7.41 MPa, respectively. In vitro electrochemical corrosion analysis of the developed Zn-5HAp-2Fe sample in simulated body fluid solution unveiled the corrosion rate as 0.116 +/- 0.021 mm center dot year(-1). The mechanical and degradation behaviors of Zn-5HAp-2Fe material showed the potential to be used as a bone fixation material.