Characterization of CoCrMo/25Cu composite fabricated by liquid-phase sintering

This study aims to analyze the impact of copper inclusion in the commercial CoCrMo alloy to develop low-temperature composites through powder metallurgy and liquid-phase sintering. The volume fraction of copper used was 25 wt% relative to CoCrMo. The liquid-state sintering was carried out at 1150 °C for 60 min. The material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). It was observed that the copper liquid generated upon reaching the melting temperature could occupy the interparticle spaces left by the CoCrMo particles in the green compaction. This allows for control of the composite’s densification, which could lead to obtaining materials with controlled porosity for biomedical applications. Although Cu did not react with the CoCrMo particles, the formation of phases rich in Cr and Mo was found. This suggested that Cu generates the atomic displacement of Co atoms from the CoCrMo particles.