Effects Of Sintering Temperature On Structural, Morphological, And Mechanical Properties Of Co-Cr-Mo Alloys Coated With Zro2 Ceramic Films

In this study, ZrO2 thin films were coated on Co-Cr-Mo alloys by screen printing and spraying, which was followed by sintering at a high temperature of 750, 900, or 1100 degrees C to enhance the characteristics of the coated alloys. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface roughness measurements, and microscale hardness testing, the structural, morphological, and mechanical characteristics of the Co-Cr-Mo alloys coated with ZrO2 films were investigated in detail. The experimental results revealed that both the microhardness and smoothness of the ZrO2 ceramic films prepared by screen printing and spraying methods clearly improved with increasing sintering temperature. It was also found that the increase in the sintering temperature contributes to the increased thickness and density of the films, leading to enhanced mechanical properties of the Co-Cr-Mo alloys. After sintering at 1100 degrees C, the ZrO2 film prepared by spraying had the smoothest surface (surface roughness: 0.70 mu m) and the highest hardness (767 HV0.5). The results confirm that ZrO2 coatings on Co-Cr-Mo alloys have high potential for medical implant applications. In addition, the sintering process is helpful for improving the mechanical properties. The ZrO2 materials are used in many sensor applications, and sensing applications can be realized using ZrO2/Co-Cr-Mo materials. In the future, we will study the sensing performance of ZrO2 sensors fabricated on Co-Cr-Mo alloys as well as implants made of the coated alloys.