Magnesium is the lightest of the structural metals. While this low density is an attractive property, magnesium also has a high corrosion rate that has often been seen as a disadvantage for many applications. However, in some applications, such as biomedical implants, fast corrosion can be an advantage. This assignment requires you to discuss recent research literature on one of the three following topics related to the use of magnesium alloys.

1/ Recent advances in the corrosion protection of magnesium. You should focus on the development of surface coatings and treatments that improve the useability of magnesium in structural applications. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of possible protection methods, and examples of how much improvement these methods can make on the corrosion resistance of magnesium.

2/ Recent advances in understanding how (and why) alloying additions change the corrosion behaviour. You should identify what alloys corrode the slowest and those that corrode the fastest. You should also describe the role of second phase particles and any other feature of the alloy that is important.

3/ Potential use of magnesium in biomedical implant applications. You should clearly explain why magnesium has potential for biomedical implants, as well as some of the applications and important issues that need to be considered when using magnesium in this field.