Term: Alloy 

Category: Substrates

Definition: A combination of metals, and sometimes nonmetal.  Alloys are designed with improved properties than those present in the elemental forms. Common biomedical alloys include stainless steel (iron-based), titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), and cobalt-chromium alloys. Biomedical alloys offer tensile strength, durability, and corrosion and fatigue resistance. In medical devices, alloys are employed to provide a strong substrate for coatings that create hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, or thromboresistance. 

Structure: Crystalline metallic lattice with atoms of different elements arranged in substitutional or interstitial positions, depending on composition

Source: Synthetic   

Common Uses: 

• Orthopedic implants
• Vascular stents
• Dental prosthetics
• Surgical instruments
• Coating substrates for hydrophilic, ceramic, or polymeric layers

Related Content and Resources: 

Hydrophilic Coatings for Metal Substrates: Benefits & Challenges

Hydrophilic Coatings For Medical Device Substrates Including Metals