Bioabsorbable or bioresorbable metallic glass refers to a class of bulk metallic glass, which is based on magnesium

Magnesium

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...

. Research is underway to assess its feasibility for use as a biomaterial

Biomaterial

A biomaterial is any matter, surface, or construct that interacts with biological systems. The development of biomaterials, as a science, is about fifty years old. The study of biomaterials is called biomaterials science. It has experienced steady and strong growth over its history, with many...

, specifically for orthopedic screws and fixation devices. The most well known publication, by a group of Swiss scientists led by Professor Jörg Löffler, tested a Mg-Zn-Ca metallic glass

Mg-Zn-Ca metallic glass

-History:First produced by vapour deposition techniques, thin films of metallically bonded amorphous solids were initially characterised by X-ray diffraction...

 with a composition of Mg₆₀Zn₃₅Ca₅. No observable hydrogen

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...

 bubble was formed as a by-product of the degradation process. This was a significant finding, because hydrogen evolution has always been problematic in the magnesium based alloys (crystalline). Another group from the University of New South Wales

University of New South Wales

The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

 led by Professor Michael Ferry is also tackling this topic. More information on Bioabsorbable metallic glasses research undertaken from UNSW can be found here.

Properties

Unlike traditional steel or titanium, this material dissolves in organisms at a rate of roughly 1 millimeter per month and is replaced with bone tissue. This speed can be adjusted by varying the content of zinc.