Solution treatment behavior of Co‐Cr‐Mo alloy

Abstract

Current practice in the manufacture of Co-Cr-Mo alloy total hip prostheses is the use of a solution treatment to increase the ductility of the as-cast alloy. This study is concerned with the reactions encountered during solution treatment at temperatures between 1165–1270°C. These reactions, including incipient melting, a carbide transformation from M₂₃C₆ to M₆C and sigma-phase formation, have bene examined using both qualitative and quantitative metallographci techniques, and are shown to influence the production of a single phase microstructure. As a res8lt, an optimum temperature for solution treatment of 1220°C has been determined. It is futher proposed that a reduction in the carbon content of this alloy would improve its solution treatment behavior.