Microstructural and mechanical characterization of six Co-Cr alloys made by conventional casting and selective laser melting

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Three Co-Cr alloy types (Co-Cr-Mo, Co-Cr-W, and Co-Cr-Mo-W) have been commonly used in the fabrication of dental prostheses. These alloys can be manufactured using either conventional casting or selective laser melting (SLM) techniques. Nevertheless, research that directly compares these materials and/or manufacturing processes in terms of their microstructural and mechanical characteristics is sparse.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this in vitro study was to conduct microstructural and mechanical analysis via X-ray interpretation, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), image analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), instrumented indentation testing (IIT), and 3-point bending testing to characterize Co-Cr-Mo, Co-Cr-W, and Co-Cr-Mo-W alloys produced through conventional casting and SLM.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Six Co-Cr-based alloys were analyzed and divided into 3 types based on their elemental composition (Co-Cr-Mo, Co-Cr-W, and Co-Cr-Mo-W). Additionally, each group was categorized based on the manufacturing process used (casting or SLM). X-ray scans were used to assess porosity. The microstructures of the specimens were assessed through SEM/EDS examination and XRD analysis. IIT was used to determine the Martens hardness (HM) and elastic index (ηIT), while the elastic modulus (E) was estimated through the 3-point bending test. The mechanical properties were statistically analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey multiple comparison post hoc test, with alloy type and manufacturing process as discriminating variables (α=.05).

RESULTS

All cast groups exhibited gross porosity, while no pores or other flaws were found in the SLM groups. Based on the XRD results, the crystalline structure of all Co-Cr specimens consisted of the face-centered cubic γ phase (γ-fcc), along with the hexagonal close-packed ε phase (ε-hcp) and Cr23C6 carbide. Different microstructures were identified between the cast and SLM alloys. Significant differences were identified for the mean standard deviation HM (ranging from 2601 ±94 N/mm2 to 3633 ±61 N/mm2) and mean ±standard deviation ηIT (ranging from 16.8 ±0.3% to 20.9 ±0.3%) among alloys prepared by the same manufacturing process, while all SLM alloys had statistically higher HM and ηIT results than their cast counterparts (P<.05). No statistically significant differences were identified for the mean ±standard deviation Eb (ranging from 170 ±25 GPa to 244 ±36 GPa) among the groups prepared with the same manufacturing process (P>.05), but the SLM alloys had significantly higher results (P<.05) than the cast alloys.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, the manufacturing procedure significantly affected the porosity, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the tested Co-Cr alloys. SLM decreased the internal porosity, provided a uniform microstructure, and improved the mechanical properties for all the tested alloy types.

Evaluation of the Aging Effect on the Microstructure of Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.3C Alloy: Experimental Characterization and Computational Thermodynamics

In the current research, we studied the role of the solution treatment and aging on the microstructure of a Co–28Cr–5Mo–0.3C alloy. We used metallographic observations, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and hardness measurements for the evaluations. We also made a comparison between the phase equilibrium calculated with Thermo-Calc, using TCFE8 and TCNI8 thermodynamic databases and experimental findings. The experimental results showed that the transformation of the metastable FCC phase to the HCP phase during aging was extremely sensitive to the solution treatment prior to aging. The effect of the increase in the solution temperature and time was detectable through promotion of the martensitic transformation during quenching in which HCP1 (straight bands) and HCP2 (lamellar-type constitution) phases had developed. In contrast, a low solution temperature and time caused most of the primary carbides to remain in an undissolved condition in the matrix; therefore, during aging, no sign of the FCC to HCP1 (straight bands) phase transformation could be observed. However, we observed the formation of the HCP2 phase (lamellar-type constitution) at the grain boundaries. In addition, the X-ray diffraction pattern indicated that the sample solution treated at lower temperatures and shorter times had a stronger martensitic transformation during aging compared to the sample solution treated at higher temperatures and longer times. Hardness measurements confirmed the results. Thermodynamical calculations showed that an agreement existed between the experiments and calculations. We also discuss the results from the TCFE8 and TCNI8 databases.