The in vitro degradation of magnesium alloys with various alloying elements, the effect of coatings, and the impact of an altered experimental environment are investigated. LANd442 and Nd2 alloys are subjected to a continuously moving environment during an immersion test allowing flowing SBF. Applying an MgF2 coating to the alloys increases the corrosion resistance of LANd442 but has no effect on the corrosion rate of Nd2 within the period of investigation. It leads to a more‐even degradation with less pitting corrosion in the early stages of corrosion. A bioglass coating on Nd2 increases the corrosion rate. The mass loss, volume loss, and loss in maximum force all show the same trends as the specimens degrade over time.

The research on the development and characterization of potential magnesium biomaterials is a steadily expanding. Commonly, implants present a high risk of infection for their recipients. For this reason, a pre‐operative sterilizing process is required. Due to the temperatures and media which are used while sterilizing, effects may occur which cause a change in the mechanical strength of certain magnesium alloys. Four commonly used sterilization methods (autoclave sterilization, dry heat sterilization, gamma sterilization and ethylene oxide sterilization) were investigated to gain information about their influences on the quasi‐static mechanical behavior of LAE442 (Mg 90 m.%, Li 4 m.%, Al 4 m.%, RE 2 m.%), MgCa0.8 (Mg 99.2 m.%, Ca 0.8 m.%) magnesium alloys as well as pure magnesium. The mechanical properties exhibited by the sterilized and non‐sterilized alloys refer to susceptibilities of the mechanical strengths to the investigated sterilization methods. Such susceptibilities appear to be dependent on the combination of alloy and method of sterilization. However, the maximum changes in mechanical strength appear in the range of ±10%. Within this study, ETO sterilization caused the least changes in the mechanical strength of the alloys and appears to be the best performer.

Whilst bioactive coatings are commonly used as layers for non‐resorbable implant materials, such as titanium or steel to improve cell adhesion, this study investigates the application of bioactive SiO2–CaO–P2O5 on resorbable magnesium alloys (Nd2 and LANd442). The bioactive coating was applied to the magnesium alloys by a dip‐coating process, where a parameter set of 20 immersions and a 10 s drying time between each immersion generated a reproducible layer with regard to its thickness and homogeneity. In vitro mass loss, strength loss, and pH value measurements were used to determine the coating's effects on the degradation behavior in a simulated body fluid. Here, it could be observed that bioactive layers on magnesium alloys lead to an increased degradation in comparison to specimens in the uncoated states. In addition to this, pitting corrosion was determined for bioactive coated magnesium samples during comparatively early periods of the investigation. Due to the decreased corrosion resistance and induced pitting corrosion of bioactive coated magnesium alloys, it is suggested that one carefully tests if the enhanced cell adhesion, which occurs with bioactive coatings, warrants the increased degradation of magnesium based implant materials.