In this work, one coating is comprised of ZrO2 and the other consists of MgO as main phase composition was produced on AZ31 magnesium alloy using one-step plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The purpose of this work was to study the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of the above-coated AZ31 magnesium alloys in order to provide a basis for AZ31 Mg alloy’s clinical applications of biomedical use. The morphology and phase composition of the coatings were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion properties were examined using electrochemical testing, hydrogen evolution measurements, and immersion tests in a simulated body fluid (SBF). Compared with bare magnesium and the MgO coating, the ZrO2-containing coating exhibited an improved corrosion resistance. Cell proliferation assays and cell morphology observations showed that the ZrO2-containing coating was not toxic to the L-929 cells. The ZrO2 coating was much denser and more homogeneous than the MgO coating, hence the corrosion resistance of the ZrO2-coated AZ31 Mg alloy was superior and more stable than the MgO-coated AZ31 Mg alloy, and ZrO2/AZ31 did not induce a cytotoxic reaction to L-929 cells and promote cell growth.
Comparison of Corrosion Resistance and Cytocompatibility of MgO and ZrO2 Coatings on AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Formed via Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation