Amorphous Alloys in Medical Technology

Advantages for medical components

• Biocompatibility: amorphous metals meet the requirements of ISO 10993-5 and ISO 10993-12 with regard to biocompatibility, as the cytotoxicity test shows compatibility of over 70 %. This high biocompatibility makes amorphous metals ideal for components of surgical instruments and other medical applications. In addition, a recent study showed that amorphous zirconium-based metal significantly promotes wound healing.
• Corrosion resistance: The materials are resistant to corrosion, which extends the lifespan of instrument components and increases their reliability. Tests have shown that our material is ten times more resistant to steam sterilization than conventional materials such as steel 1.4117 and 1.4021. This is particularly interesting for instruments that are used multiple times.
• Precision manufacturing: Thanks to the unique manufacturing process of amorphous metals, components can be manufactured with the highest precision.
• Elasticity: With an elasticity of 2%, amorphous metals are comparable to plastics. This property enables innovative design approaches, especially for applications such as spring joints and optimized force-distance ratios. The high elasticity offers advantages in the construction and functionality of technical components.
• Miniaturization: The extremely high strength of amorphous metals makes it possible to reduce the size of components compared to conventional materials. This leads to more compact and efficient designs with the same or improved performance.

Heraeus Amloy relies on continuous innovation and the highest quality standards to improve the performance and reliability of medical instruments. Our technologies and materials help to increase the quality and efficiency of medical components.