LAUSR

It is known that magnesium (Mg)–hydroxyapatite (HA) composites can be produced by the room temperature consolidation of particles. Herein, the corrosion behavior of an Mg–HA composite is analyzed, and a direct comparison with pure Mg is made. Samples of Mg–HA and of pure Mg are immersed in Hank's solution for up to 60 h, and the microstructure and corrosion products are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. Electrochemical tests are used to evaluate the corrosion behavior and a hydrogen evolution test is undertaken to determine the corrosion rate. The results show the corrosion rate of the Mg–HA composite is higher than for pure Mg but decreases significantly after ≈10 h of immersion in Hank's solution. The increase in corrosion resistance of the composite is attributed to the formation of a protective layer of corrosion products with an external surface layer rich in Ca, P, and O.