The Effect of Pulsed Nanosecond Laser Irradiation on the Corrosion Resistance of Mg–Al–Zn Magnesium Alloy

The corrosion resistance of Mg–Al–Zn magnesium alloy with coarse-grained and ultrafine-grained structures before and after the treatment of the surface of the alloy with pulsed nanosecond laser irradiation is studied. It is found that this treatment significantly increases the resistance of the alloy to its dissolution in a 0.9% NaCl saline only under the condition of preliminary formation of a uniform ultrafine-grained structure in the bulk of the sample. The observed effect can be considered as a promising method for the treatment of the surface of medical devices made of biodegradable magnesium alloys.