| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/S08466/01 |
| Title: |
Plasma Thermochemical Surface Engineering of Cobalt-Chromium Alloys |
| Principal Investigator: |
Bell, Professor T |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Metallurgy and Materials |
| Organisation: |
University of Birmingham |
| Scheme: |
LINK |
| Starts: |
01 July 2003 |
Ends: |
31 December 2006 |
Value (£): |
253,323
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Processing |
Materials testing & eng. |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Cobalt-chromium alloys are widely used in a range of industrial sectors including the areas of medical prostheses and wear resistant surfaces in general engineering applications. The present research is based on the recent observation by the surface engineering research team at Birmingham University that low temperature interstitial surface hardening experiments, using an environmentally friendly glow discharge plasma technology increased the surface hardness of Co-Cr alloys from 400 Hv to more than 1000 Hv. This is a wholly novel observation and is reflected in a 10fold increase in wear resistance. This improvement in wear resistance has the potential to enhance significantly not only the economic performance of the industrial partners involved in the project but, in due course, a large proportion of current users of Co-Cr alloys in industry. The research involves plasma thermochemical alloying in the temperature range 450-600C., wrought and hot isostatic pressed components, including resurfacing hip joints, knives and blades for the textile, paper and food industries as well as valves and pumps in the chemical and oil exploration industries. Full scale industrial trials of the components will be conducted after laboratory experiments involving characterisation, corrosion and wear testing.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.bham.ac.uk |