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. 2025 May 17;15(1):17207.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01838-x.

Modification of low nickel biograde stainless steel with graphene oxide for enhanced corrosion resistance and in vivo biocompatibility

Doaa A Abu Muslim  1   2 , Amal S Shahat  3 , A B El Basaty  2   4 , A Hassen  5 , A Abou Elfadl  1 , Ahmed I Ali  6   7 , A Tayel  2
Affiliations

Modification of low nickel biograde stainless steel with graphene oxide for enhanced corrosion resistance and in vivo biocompatibility

Doaa A Abu Muslim et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

This study investigates the integration of graphene oxide (GO) into low nickel bio-grade stainless steel (LNBGSS) to enhance its corrosion resistance and assess its biocompatibility. Three concentrations of GO (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt%) were added to the steel matrix using the powder metallurgy method and annealed in a nitrogen environment. X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy analyses reveal that while the crystal structure of the steel remains largely unchanged, the morphology of the prepared samples exhibits minimal alteration post-GO integration. The average particle sizes (Dav) of the studied samples were calculated. It was found that Dav slightly changed with the content of GO. Based on the electrochemical analysis, the inhibition efficiency was determined in different ways and it increased markedly with increasing GO content in LNBGSS composites. Subsequently, biocompatibility assessment was conducted through in vivo studies on albino rats. Thirty-six rats were randomly allocated into six groups. The hematological parameters revealed a nonsignificant (P > 0.05) difference except for the rats treated with the low-nickel bio-grade stainless steel powder (LNBGSS) (S0), which had the lowest complete blood count in comparison with other groups. In spite, the hematological parameters of all groups were within the normal reference ranges. The biochemical indices also were not significantly (P > 0.05) different by assessment of liver enzymes and kidney functions for all examined groups. These findings suggested that the use of GO in modifying low nickel bio-grade stainless steel alloy is biologically safe and recommendable for enhancing this alloy's properties.

Keywords: Albino rats; Biocompatibility; Biological indices; Corrosion resistance; Graphene oxide (GO); Hematological parameters; Low nickel bio-grade stainless steel.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: Ethical approval was granted to conduct the experiments involved in this manuscript. Fayoum University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (FU-IACUC) approved our research in Albino rats, Approval No. 2354. This study is reported in accordance with ARRIVE guidelines ( https://arriveguidelines.org ).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
X-ray diffraction patterns of (S0) pure low-nickel bio-grade stainless steel powder (LNBGSS), (S1) LNBGSS with 0.5 wt% GO, (S2) LNBGSS with 1.0 wt% GO, and (S3) LNBGSS with 1.5 wt% GO.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
FE-SEM image of graphene oxide (GO).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(a–d) FE-SEM images of LNBGSS incorporating different GO content, (a) zero GO, (b) 0.5 wt% GO, (c) 1.0 wt% GO, and (d) 1.5 wt% GO. For each picture, there are two magnifications.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
(a–d) Histograms for particle size distribution of LNBGSS and GO/LNBGSS composites.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Tafel curves of LNBGSS incorporating different GO content.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
The average corrosion rates of low nickel bio-grade stainless steel (LNBGSS) incorporating different GO content.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
(a–d) Both (a) and (b) showed the change of the real and the imaginary parts of the impedance with frequency, respectively, (c) Nyquist plots at room temperature, and (d) the suggested one, an equivalent circuit model.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Average body weight of control, graphene oxide (GO), LNBGSS, and LNBGSS samples with varying concentrations of GO before and after injection.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
(a–h) Complete blood count (CBC) of different Samples; (a) Hemoglobin (HB), (b) Red blood cells (RBC), (c) Packed cell volume (PCV), (d) Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), (e) Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), (f) Platelets, (g) White blood cells (WBC), and (h) Monocytes.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
(a–d) Liver function tests of samples from different groups; (a) ALT, (b) AST, (c) Total protein, and (d) Total bilirubin.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
(a,b) Kidney function tests of samples from different groups; (a) creatinine, (b) urea.
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