Committee Chair

Ibrahim, Hamdy

Committee Member

Margraves, Charles H.; Oghani, Mohammad Javad Mahtabi, 1982-

Department

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Biodegradable materials have garnered significant interest over the past decades as alternatives to non-degradable implant materials used in osteosynthesis surgeries. Among these, magnesium and its alloys have emerged as promising candidates due to their favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, the high degradation rate of magnesium in aqueous environments remains a major limitation to its broader application. To address this challenge, recent research has focused on tailoring the corrosion behavior of magnesium using alloying, coatings, and various fabrication processes to suit specific clinical needs. In this work, we explore two distinct approaches to enhance the performance of magnesium-based implants. The first approach involves the use of powder metallurgy to incorporate nanoparticles into magnesium alloy powders and investigate their impact on key performance properties. The second novel approach focuses on systematically examining the influence of different coating parameters for a hybrid micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and sol-gel coating process to gain a deeper understanding of the factors’ role in achieving desirable implant characteristics. Additionally, we present an innovative machine learning (ML) model developed to predict the corrosion behavior of MAO-coated magnesium. This model, applied for the first time to deal with the very complex corrosion behavior of magnesium-based systems, utilizes key process parameters as predictors. Such an ML approach is expected to minimize material usage and reduce experimental time when predicting the corrosion behavior of MAO-coated magnesium materials.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my Allah (God) for helping me arrange my life to be here. His mercy, plans, strength, and will have always been my strength source to light up my path in every step. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim for allowing me to work on a meaningful research project that has the potential to improve patients' lives. His continuous support and guidance throughout this journey were instrumental, not only in making this research possible but also in teaching me how to conduct impactful work that serves the broader community. I am especially thankful for the many opportunities he provided to share knowledge and engage with others in meaningful ways, through the National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports our research to obtain a brighter future through scientific advancement. A special thank you goes to Dr. Charles Margraves for his guidance on departmental requirements and for offering valuable advice that helped me select truly impactful courses aligned with my advisor’s vision and the goals of my research. I would also like to thank Dr. Mohammad Mahtabi for his continued support and for always being willing to answer my scientific questions. My heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Andrea for her incredible support with paperwork, material requests, and for always helping to resolve unexpected issues with patience and efficiency. Finally, I want to thank my family, my wife’s family, and my small family, my wife and daughter, for believing in me and encouraging me to pursue this long-held goal. This achievement would not have been possible without God’s will at the beginning and the prayers, love, and support of all my family members.

Degree

M. S.; A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Date

8-2025

Subject

Implants, Artificial--Biodegradation; Magnesium alloys--Biocompatibility; Nanoparticles--Industrial applications

Keyword

Magnesium, Coating, Composites, MAO, Modeling, Machine Learning

Document Type

Masters theses

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xv, 85 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Date Available

8-31-2026

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Available for download on Monday, August 31, 2026

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