Magnesium alloy based objects and methods of making and use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein are magnesium alloy based objects and methods of making and use thereof. For example, disclosed herein are methods of making a magnesium alloy based object, the methods comprising: heating an object comprising a preliminary magnesium alloy at a first temperature for a first amount of time, the preliminary magnesium alloy comprising a first intermetallic phase, a second intermetallic phase, and an alloy phase, to thereby substantially dissolving the first intermetallic phase into the alloy phase to form an object comprising an intermediate magnesium alloy, the intermediate magnesium alloy comprising the second intermetallic phase and the alloy phase; and heating the object comprising the intermediate magnesium alloy at a second temperature for a second amount of time to thereby substantially dissolving the second intermetallic phase into the alloy phase and minimizing incipient melting of the alloy phase to form the magnesium alloy based object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magnesium alloy based object made by a method, the method comprising:
 heating an object comprising a preliminary magnesium alloy at a first temperature for a first amount of time;   wherein the preliminary magnesium alloy comprises a first intermetallic phase having a melting temperature, a second intermetallic phase having a melting temperature, and an alloy phase having a solidus temperature;   wherein the melting temperature of the first intermetallic phase is lower than the melting temperature of the second intermetallic phase and the solidus temperature of the alloy phase;   wherein the melting temperature of the second intermetallic phase is higher than the solidus temperature of the alloy phase;   wherein the first temperature is from 10° C. to 50° C. above the melting temperature of the first intermetallic phase, below the melting temperature of the second intermetallic phase, and below the solidus temperature of the alloy phase; and   wherein the first amount of time is from 10 to 15 hours;   thereby substantially dissolving the first intermetallic phase into the alloy phase to form an object comprising an intermediate magnesium alloy, the intermediate magnesium alloy comprising the second intermetallic phase and the alloy phase; and   heating the object comprising the intermediate magnesium alloy at a second temperature for a second amount of time;   wherein the second temperature is from 10° C. to 20° C. above the melting temperature of the second intermetallic phase; and   wherein the second amount of time is from 1 hour to 3 hours;   thereby substantially dissolving the second intermetallic phase into the alloy phase and minimizing incipient melting of the alloy phase to form the magnesium alloy based object.   
     
     
         2 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is from 340° C. to 360° C. 
     
     
         3 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is from 430° C. to 450° C. 
     
     
         4 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary magnesium alloy comprises a biocompatible magnesium alloy. 
     
     
         5 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary magnesium alloy comprises a Mg—Ca—Zn alloy or a Mg—Ca—Mn—Zn alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the first intermetallic phase comprises Mg 6 Ca 2 Zn 3 . 
     
     
         7 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the second intermetallic phase comprises Mg 2 Ca. 
     
     
         8 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary magnesium alloy is substantially free of rare earth elements. 
     
     
         9 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium alloy based object comprises a substantially homogeneous matrix comprising the alloy phase. 
     
     
         10 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises thermomechanically treating the magnesium alloy based object by heating the magnesium alloy based object at a third temperature for a third amount of time and, subsequently, mechanically treating the magnesium alloy based object. 
     
     
         11 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 10 , wherein the third temperature is from 10° C. to 50° C. below the solidus temperature of the alloy phase, the third amount of time is from 1 minute to 1 hour, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 10 , wherein mechanically treating the magnesium alloy based object comprises extrusion, forging, rolling, or a combination thereof the magnesium alloy based object. 
     
     
         13 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises repeating the thermomechanical treatment. 
     
     
         14 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 10 , wherein the magnesium alloy based object exhibits improved yield stress and/or ductility after thermomechanical treatment. 
     
     
         15 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium alloy based object has a yield stress of from 200 to 300 MPa. 
     
     
         16 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium alloy based object has a ductility of 8-33%. 
     
     
         17 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium alloy based object has an average thickness of from 1 mm to 4 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium based alloy has an average grain size of from 10 μm to 15 μm. 
     
     
         19 . A method of use of the magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , the method comprising using the magnesium alloy based object as a bone fixation device, a load bearing implant, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . An article of manufacture comprising the magnesium alloy based object of  claim 1 , the article of manufacture comprising a bone fixation device, a load bearing implant, or a combination thereof.