REVIEW article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

Sec. Biomaterials

Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1617585

This article is part of the Research TopicBioresorbable Materials: What is New?View all articles

Surface Engineering of Nano Magnesium Alloys for Orthopedic Implants: A Systematic Review of Strategies to Mitigate Corrosion and Promote Bone Regeneration

Provisionally accepted
  • 1Hiranandani College of Pharmacy, Maharashtra, India
  • 2Patil University School of Pharmacy, Maharashtra, India
  • 3St. John Institute of Pharmacy and Research, Maharashtra, India
  • 4Jazan University Hospital, Jazan Univeristy, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
  • 5University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • 6Interstellar therapeutics, Boston, United States
  • 7Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
  • 8Hebei University of Technology, Beichen District, Tianjin Municipality, China
  • 9Bharathidasan University, Tamilnadu, India
  • 10Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are transformative candidates for biodegradable orthopedic implants due to their bone-mimetic elastic modulus (10-30 GPa), biocompatibility, and osteogenic properties. However, rapid corrosion (>2 mm/year) and hydrogen gas evolution (0.1-0.3 mL/cm²/day) in physiological environments hinder clinical adoption. This systematic review, leveraging insights from seven databases (PubMed®, Embase, Web of Science™, Scopus®, IEEE Xplore, FSTA, and Google Scholar), critically evaluates surface engineering innovations that address these challenges. Key findings demonstrate that micro-arc oxidation (MAO) reduces corrosion rates by 60% (0.3-0.8 mm/year) through ceramic oxide layers, while hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings further enhance osteoconductivity (0.25 mm/year). NanoscaleMgO not only promotes osteoblast adhesion (40% increase) and collagen synthesis but also reduces bacterial colonization by 78% via surface energy modulation, eliminating antibiotic dependency. Advanced strategies like hybrid coatings (e.g., zwitterionic polymers) and alloying with Zn/Ca/Sr synergistically improve mechanical strength (up to 380 MPa), degradation control (0.1-0.5 mm/year), and angiogenesis via Mg²⁺-mediated VEGF upregulation. Emerging trends such as 4D bioprinting of pH-responsive Mg scaffolds and patient-specific implants highlight the shift toward dynamic, personalized solutions. Despite progress, challenges persist in synchronizing degradation with bone healing timelines, particularly in osteoporotic or diabetic patients. This review underscores the paradigm shift toward nano surface engineering, positioning Mg alloys as multifunctional platforms for nextgeneration orthopedic implants, while advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration to bridge translational gaps.

Keywords: Bone, Magnesium (Mg) alloys, Orthopedics Implants (OIs), Micro-arc oxidation, Nano MgO

Received: 24 Apr 2025; Accepted: 09 Jun 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Chaudhari, Chaudhari, Gholap, Alam, Khalid, Webster, Sundaram and Faiyazuddin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Thomas Jay Webster, Interstellar therapeutics, Boston, United States

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