Palladium alloy

Abstract

A family of alloys for use in medical, electrical contact and jewelry applications includes as primary components palladium, and boron and at least one of ruthenium, rhenium, platinum, gold, zirconium, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, tantalum and iridium. An alternative embodiment includes palladium and rhenium and/or ruthenium with an additional element iridium, platinum, tungsten, boron, gold, zirconium, cobalt, nickel and tantalum. The present alloy family has a high strength, high radio opacity, and biocompatibility characteristics, while also being workable into various configurations. Where required, some of the alloys also offer post form, heat treatment (age hardening) capabilities for even higher hardness and strength levels.

1 . A wrought palladium-based alloy, consisting essentially of:
 palladium and boron in a range of 0.005 to 1.5 percent and rhenium in a range of 3 to 20 percent to provide an alloy have good cold work processing, said wrought alloy being formed into a device.   
     
     
         2 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said wrought alloy has a structure corresponding to having been cold worked and at least partially annealed. 
     
     
         3 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said product is an electrical contact. 
     
     
         4 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said electrical contact is a sliding contact. 
     
     
         5 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said electrical contact is a static contact. 
     
     
         6 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said alloy having palladium in a range of 78.5-96.995 percent. 
     
     
         7 . A wrought palladium-based alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said product is a fabricated wire or strip. 
     
     
         8 . An alloy comprising three primary elements as follows:
 a first primary element Pd as a balance of the alloy;   a second primary element Re in a range of 5%±0.5%; and   a third primary element B in a range of 0.08%±0.05%.   
     
     
         9 . A palladium-based alloy, consisting essentially of:
 an alloy of palladium and rhenium in a range of 3 to 20 percent and boron in a range of 0.005 to 1.5 percent and up to 15 percent of a fourth element, said fourth element is at least one of ruthenium, iridium, platinum, tungsten, gold, zirconium, cobalt, nickel and tantalum.   
     
     
         10 . A product formed of a palladium-based alloy, comprising:
 a palladium-based alloy consisting of palladium and rhenium in a range of 3 to 20 percent and boron in a range of 0.005 to 1.5 percent and up to 15 percent of a fourth element, said fourth element is at least one of ruthenium, iridium, platinum, tungsten, gold, zirconium, cobalt, nickel and tantalum; and   said product being formed of said alloy.   
     
     
         11 . A product as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said product is formed of said alloy by being cold worked, said alloy having good cold work processing. 
     
     
         12 . A product as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said product is an in-body medical device. 
     
     
         13 . A product as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said product is an electrical contact. 
     
     
         14 . A product as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said product is at least partially annealed. 
     
     
         15 . A product as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said product is an in-body medical device. 
     
     
         16 . A product formed of a palladium-based alloy, comprising:
 a palladium-based alloy consisting essentially of palladium, rhenium and boron, said alloy having palladium in a range of 78.5-96.995 percent, boron in a range of 0.005 to 1.5 percent, and rhenium in a range of 3 to 20 percent.; and   said product being machined.