Nickel-free stainless steel alloy processible through metal injection molding techniques to produce articles intended for use in contact with the human body
AssigneeFloMet, Inc.
InventorMatthew K. Bulger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nickel-free stainless steel having the following composition in weight percent: ______________________________________ Chromium 23-27 Molybdenum 2-7 Carbon 0.2 maximum Iron balance plus incidental impurities ______________________________________ is made into a fine powder. Alternatively, the powder may be made by mixing powders of the pure elements or master alloys (e.g., pure chromium, iron-chromium, etc.) in the disclosed proportions. The metal powder is combined with a plasticizer to form a mixture when is then subjected to metal injection molding techniques to form an article which, after sintering and secondary operations, can be used in contact with the human body.
Claims1
The method of making a biocompatible nickel-free article for use in contact with the human body, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) preparing a nickel-free metal powder consisting essentially of the following composition in weight percent:
- ______________________________________ Chromium 23-27 Molybdenum 2-7 Carbon 0.2 maximum Iron balance plus incidental impurities, ______________________________________
- (b) compounding said metal powder with a plasticizer to form an injection-moldable mixture,
- (c) injection molding said mixture of metal powder and plasticizer to form said article,
- (d) removing the plasticizer from said formed article,
- (e) sintering said formed article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.