Significant influence of trace Li on the mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and antibacterial properties of biodegradable Zn-4Cu alloys

In this work, trace Li was introduced to strengthen Zn-4Cu alloys. The results indicated that trace amounts of Li contributed to a significant increase in strength, resulting in an acceptable loss of elon-gation at fracture. Additionally, Li in the form of LiZn4 led to more intensive galvanic corrosion, which accelerated the early corrosion rate. The release of a large amount of Zn2 +, caused by the addition of Li, affected the phase composition of the main Zn-containing corrosion products. Moreover, the inhibition effect of the alloy on Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus) was enhanced by the addition of 0.02 wt.% Li.(c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.