PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nečas, David
AU  - Blažek, Jan
AU  - Pokorný, Jan
AU  - Boukalová, Anna
AU  - Kubásek, Jiří
TI  - Mechanical Alloying, an Innovative Way of Zinc Preparation for Biomaterial Preparation
DP  - 2025 Dec 8
TA  - Manufacturing Technology Journal
PG  - 662--669
VI  - 25
IP  - 5
AID - 10.21062/mft.2025.070
IS  - 12132489
AB  - In this study, binary zinc-based alloys (Zn-1Mg, Zn-1Li, Zn-2Mn, wt.%) were synthesized by performing mechanical alloying (MA) of elemental powders, followed by consolidation using spark plasma sintering (SPS). The processing parameters were optimized to obtain homogeneous powders with controlled particle size. X-ray diffraction and SEM analyses confirmed the presence of secondary intermetallic phases (Mg2Zn11, Zn13Mn, ZnLi2 phases) formed during milling, which were preserved after SPS. Microstructural examination revealed a fine-grained microstructure with residual oxide networks originating from powder surfaces. Mechanical testing demonstrated significant strengthening effects after Mg and Li additions, with Zn-1Mg alloy reaching the highest hardness (128 HV1) and compressive strength (526.7 MPa), attributed to uniformly distributed Mg2Zn11 precipitates. However, this strengthening was accompanied by reduced ductility. Zn-1Li exhibited the most balanced combination of strength and plasticity, while Zn-2Mn provided only a limited improvement over pure zinc. These results confirm that mechanical alloying combined with SPS is a promising route for developing biodegradable Zn-based biomaterials with enhanced properties.