Investigation of process parameters influence in waterjet peening of AZ31B-Mg alloy for bioimplant applications

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of parameters standoff-distance, waterjet pressure, traverse speed and number of passes used in the waterjet peening process on AZ31B-Mg alloy to assess surface grain refinement's potential and to improve the alloy's functionality in the biological environment, followed by the study of enhancement in hardening and roughening effect on AZ31B-Mg alloy surface. The optimal parametric condition required for investigating surface texture, X-ray diffraction analysis and electrochemical corrosion analysis with simulated body fluid was obtained through the multi-criteria optimisation, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution, which employs microhardness and surface roughness as response variables. The obtained results show significant improvement in mechanical and corrosion-inhibiting features of AZ31B-Mg alloy. Further, the biocompatibility of waterjet peened and unpeened surfaces was examined using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay and fluorescence analysis with MG63 cell lines.