Achievements｜Chiba Laboratory｜Deformation Processing, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

We have developed new class of Co–Cr-based alloys, COBARION®, which exhibit outstanding mechanical properties, wear and corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility, in collaboration with Iwate Prefecture, Kamaishi City and Eiwa Co, Ltd (Kamaishi, Iwate) in Japan.
The Co–Cr-based alloys have been used in biomedical applications such as artificial hip/knee joints, dental prosthesis and vascular stents for more than three decades. However, their insufficient fatigue properties have been a longstanding problem, and there has been a great concern about metallosis (metallic allergy) resulting from Ni as impurity and/or additive elements. The high strength Ni-free alloys produced by our newly developed technology are expected to attract a great demand for allergen-free prosthesis materials with superior durability.

The developed Co–Cr–Mo alloys exhibit very high strength with maintaining adequate ductility by optimizing alloy composition and hot deformation processing. Simultaneously, the fatigue strength is improved.

COBARION®
http://www.eiwa-heartmake.com/cocrmo/

In addition to biomedical implants, we address the design of novel Co-based alloys that can be applied for various industrial fields, e.g., heat resistant springs and tooling materials.