Fabrication and properties of Cobalt-Chromium implant composite

Abstract

Cobalt implant composite (CIC) was produced by powder metallurgy technique. Composition of 0% ,5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of hydroxyapatite was mixed with cobaltchromium alloy. The fabrication technique is mixing, blending, pressing and sintering of the final product. Cobalt, chromium and hydroxyapatite powders were mixed in planetary ball mill at 600 rpm for 30 minutes. The consolidation method for CIC was uni-axial compacting using Universal Testing Machine (UTM) Gotech. The pressure used was 500 MPa. The CIC was sintered at 10000C temperature with 200C/min for 3 hours. The composites then were evaluated and tested to evaluate the microstructure and mechanical properties. The microstructure analysis is carried out by using the Scanning Electron Microscope and Image Analyzer attached to the optical microscope. In microstructure analysis, there are several characteristics need to observe i.e., particle sizes, porosities, mode of shapes, corrosion behaviours and bonding between mixed particles and fracture mechanism, which these can describe the composites material in details. The properties such as hardness, density, and particle sizes distribution, purity of raw materials, compressive strength and corrosion behaviours are analyzed by using Vickers Micro Hardness, AccuPyc 1330 Gas Pycnometer, MALVERN MASTERSIZER 2000 particle analyzer, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Compression test and Immersion Fluid test in Natrium Chloride (0.9%.NaCl ), respectively. From the microstructure analysis of the composite, the microstructure indicates the homogenous distribution of the chromium particles, and HAP particles are distributed homogenously in the matrix cobalt chromium. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) the high peak of the x-ray analysis is indicating the purity of each powder such as chromium and cobalt. In general cobalt and chromium peaks occur at the range of 40 to 50 degree and there is no obvious sign of HAP signal in XRD analysis of the composites. Both experimental and theoretical density graphs have shown a similar pattern line which both experienced the density gradually decreased when percentage of HAP increased. The hardness of the composites decreases slightly with the increasing weight percent of HAP. The sonic modulus analysis, indicating that there is a reciprocate relationship between modulus and sound velocity, whereby modulus will be decreased when the sound velocity increases. The microstructure analysis on compression test, indicated the deformation behavior of the composite started to change from the ductile mode to the brittle mode resultant with the added of HAP. Besides, the crack pattern showed non continuously for the ductile mode behavior and had a continuous line for the brittle mode behavior. Corrosion study indicated that composites experienced more corrosion when the HAP was added.