Biodegradable metals and alloys emerged as promising materials for biomedical implants, aiming to overcome the limitations of permanent stainless steel or titanium alloys implants. Their use can reduce the need for implant removal surgeries and associated costs. However, challenges such as low mechanical strength, corrosion performance, and degradation rate that do not align with tissue healing must be addressed for their successful application. Moreover, antibacterial properties are crucial in implant surgery. Incorporating antibacterial features into implants helps preventing bacterial colonization and biofilm formation, reducing infection risks and improving patient outcomes.

Recent advancements in biodegradable magnesium (Mg)- and zinc (Zn)-based materials are noteworthy. One of the most effective strategies to control their degradation behaviour, while simultaneously enhancing their surface biocompatibility, is the deposition of biomimetic resorbable calcium phosphate coatings. Tricalcium phosphate (TCP), a widely used resorbable bioceramic, serves as a highly effective synthetic bone graft due to its osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. To enhance the osteoinductive capacity and impart bactericidal properties to β-TCP, incorporating essential metal ions is effective. Ions such as strontium (Sr²⁺), copper (Cu²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺), iron (Fe²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺) (alone or in couples) have been shown to significantly improve β-TCP's biological performance, promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis, as well as its antimicrobial properties, thereby enhancing the functionality of coated surfaces.

These advancements make coated biodegradable Mg- and Zn-based alloys highly promising materials to address clinical needs in orthopaedics, offering improved performance in both bone repair and infection prevention.