Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) is conducted to improve the intrinsically poor corrosion properties of biodegradable AZ31 magnesium alloy in the physiological environment. Carbon dioxide is implanted into the samples and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize the materials. The corrosion properties are systematically studied by potentiodynamic polarization tests in two simulated physiological environments, namely simulated body fluids and cell culture medium. The plasma-implanted materials exhibit a lower initial corrosion rate. Being a gaseous ion PIII technique, conformal ion implantation into an object with a complex shape such as an orthopedic implant can be easily accomplished and CO2 PIII is a potential method to improve the biological properties of magnesium and its alloys in clinical applications. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.