Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Chromium Alloys
Summary
Additive manufacturing of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys encompasses a suite of layer-wise fabrication techniques, notably laser powder bed fusion and electron beam melting, that enable the production of complex geometries with minimal material waste. These alloys are prized for their high strength, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, making them especially suited to biomedical implants, dental prostheses and high-performance industrial components. Rapid melting and solidification engender unique microstructures, including fine cellular grains and metastable phases, which can be tailored by process parameters and post-processing. Challenges remain in mitigating anisotropy, residual stresses and microstructural heterogeneity, yet advances in scanning strategies, feedstock optimisation and heat-treatment protocols are progressively closing the gap between printed and wrought material performance. The global uptake of Co-Cr additive manufacturing reflects its potential to deliver patient-specific implants, lightweight aerospace parts and durable tooling with unprecedented design freedom.
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Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Chromium Alloys publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in additive manufacturing of cobalt-chromium alloys across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF): An additive process in which a laser selectively melts successive layers of metallic powder to form a solid component.
Anisotropy: Direction-dependent variation in mechanical or physical properties arising from non-uniform microstructural features.
Heat treatment: Thermal processes, including solutionising and ageing, applied post-fabrication to modify microstructure and improve mechanical performance.
Passive film: A thin, protective oxide layer that forms on the surface of Co-Cr alloys, enhancing corrosion resistance in corrosive environments.
References
- Recrystallization induced by heat treatment regulates the anisotropic behavior of CoCrMo alloys fabricated by laser powder bed fusion. Materials Futures (2025).
- Corrosion behavior and mechanism of laser powder bed fusion produced CoCrW in an acidic NaCl solution. Corrosion Science (2023).
- Challenges of Co–Cr Alloy Additive Manufacturing Methods in Dentistry—The Current State of Knowledge (Systematic Review). Materials (2020).
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