# US 10,682,437 B2 · Molybdenum alloys for medical devices

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- Number: US 10,682,437 B2
- Document ID: US10682437B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/737,863
- Filed: 2016-06-27
- Published: 2019-01-10
- Granted: 2020-06-16
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-02
- Assignees: MiRus LLC
- Applicants: Mirus
- Inventors: Noah Roth
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10682437B2

## CPC

- A61L 27/047: {Other specific metals or alloys not covered by A61L27/042 - A61L27/045 or A61L27/06}
- A61L 27/306: {Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32}
- A61L 27/50: Materials characterised by their function or physical properties {, e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials}
- A61L 31/022: {Metals or alloys}
- A61L 31/18: Materials at least partially X-ray or laser opaque
- A61F 2310/00101: Molybdenum or Mo-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00497: Coating made of molybdenum or Mo-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00856: Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of compounds based on metal nitrides
- A61L 27/045: {Cobalt or cobalt alloys}
- A61L 27/06: Titanium or titanium alloys
- A61L 2420/02: Methods for coating medical devices
- C22C 27/04: Alloys based on tungsten or molybdenum
- C23C 8/24: Nitriding
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

A medical device having improved surface hardness and wear resistance properties. The medical device has a body that includes a molybdenum and rhenium alloy. The outer surface of the body has a nitride surface layer that includes nitrogen, molybdenum and rhenium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for using an orthopedic medical device having increased surface hardness and wear resistance comprising:
providing said orthopedic medical device selected from a joint implant, said joint implant is a knee implant, hip implant, shoulder implant, ankle implant, wrist implant, or elbow implant, said orthopedic medical device having a body that includes a molybdenum-rhenium alloy and a nitride surface layer on an outer surface layer of said molybdenum-rhenium alloy, said nitride surface layer includes nitrogen, molybdenum, and rhenium;
providing a liner of said joint implant; and,
mating said joint implant with said liner, said nitride surface layer of said orthopedic medical device engages said liner,
wherein said nitride surface layer is formed by exposing said body that includes a molybdenum-rhenium alloy to a nitriding process in the presence of nitrogen gas or a nitrogen gas mixture for at least about one minute at a temperature of at least about 400° Celsius,
wherein said nitride surface layer comprises 40-99 wt. % molybdenum, 1-40 wt. % rhenium, and 0.0001-5 wt. % nitrogen, and
wherein said nitride surface layer a) results in enhanced wear-resistance properties to said orthopedic medical device as compared to a similar molybdenum-rhenium alloy that is absent said nitride surface layer, b) extends a life of said orthopedic medical device, c) increases a wear life of mating surfaces on the orthopedic medical device, and d) reduces particulate generation from use of said orthopedic medical device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a thickness of said nitride surface layer is less than 1 mm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method as defined in claim 2, wherein a thickness of said nitride surface layer is 50 nm to 0.1 mm.