Additive manufacturing and mechanical properties evolution of biomedical Co-Cr-Mo alloys by using EBM method

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Co-29Cr-6Mo alloy with C and N additions, produced by additive manufacturing using electron beam melting (EBM) method, were studied using X-ray diffraction, electron back scatter diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Vickers hardness tests, and tensile tests, focusing on the influences on the build direction and the various heat treatments after build. It is found that the microstructures for the as built specimens were changed from columnar to equiaxed grain structure with average grain size of approximately $10-20{\mu}m$ due to the heat treatment employing the reverse transformation from a lamellar (hcp + $Cr_2N$) phase to an fcc. Our results will contribute to the development of biomedical Ni-free Co-Cr-Mo-N-C alloys, produced by EBM method, with refined grain size and good mechanical properties, without requiring any hot workings.