  Magnesium (Mg) and its alloys have attracted considerable attention owing to
their excellent biodegradable properties and biocompatibility. Novel Mg-Sn-Ge
ternary Mg alloys were developed as potential biodegradable materials for
orthopedic applications because of their alloying elements naturally present in
humans. The feasibility of these alloys was investigated in terms of mechanical
properties, degradation, cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility. The hardness
and elastic modulus of Mg-2Sn-xGe alloys were improved significantly by
increasing the Ge content. Among all the alloys, the Mg-2Sn-3Ge alloy displays
outstanding biodegradable properties, as evidenced by the electrochemical tests
and hydrogen evolution. The degradation products detected on the corroded alloy
surfaces weaken at higher Ge levels. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay and
hemolysis test showed that the Mg-2Sn-xGe alloys exhibit favorable
biocompatibility and hemocompatibility, except for the Mg-2Sn-2Ge alloy.
