Strong corrosion induced by carbon nanotubes to accelerate Fe biodegradation

The slow degradation of Fe severely restricts its application in bone repair although it possesses good biocompatibility and high mechanical properties. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced to accelerate Fe biodegradation: (I) CNTs acted as cathodes to induce galvanic corrosion owing to their differences in corrosion potential; (II) The large specific surface area of CNTs increased area ratios of cathode to anode; (III) The excellent electrical conductivity of CNTs allowed significant levels of electron transfer through the cathode in galvanic corrosion. Consequently, the degradation rate of Fe/CNTs composites greatly increased by 74% with the increase of CNTs (0.3-0.9 wt%). Further addition of CNTs would lead to corrosion holes and cracks due to localized corrosion. Besides, cell culture experiments showed that MG-63 cells could normally proliferate to maintain their population, indicating good cytocompatibility of Fe/CNTs composites. The results proved that the incorporation of CNTs into Fe was an effective approach to develop Fe-based bone implants with enhanced degradation rates.