Abstract
Laser welding has been widely used to repair prosthetic appliances as well as joints between similar or dissimilar metals due to its ease of use. The welding of dissimilar metals, particularly cobalt-chromium alloy and gold alloy, is frequently performed in clinical cases. In the present study, the dissimilar metals of cobaltchromium alloy and Type 4 gold alloy were welded using a laser welder to assess the state of the joint by a bending test, its hardness, welding area, fractography and EPMA analyses.
Bending strength and strain after laser welding were significantly lower than in the non-welded specimen group. Bending strength and strain when each weld area was overlapped were significantly larger than when not non-overlapped. Bending strength and strain after welding dissimilar metals were similar to those after welding gold alloys and cobalt-chromium alloys, respectively. EPMA showed a uniform distribution of the dissimilar-metal welded area. In addition, the hardness in the weld was similar to that after welding either cobalt-chromium alloys or gold alloys.
