CoNiChrome
CoNiChrome stands out as a cobalt‑nickel‑chromium alloy engineered for environments where strength, fatigue resistance, and corrosion performance must all be exceptional. Its unique balance of toughness and elasticity allows it to maintain high mechanical strength even after extensive cold work, making it a favorite for demanding spring components, medical devices, and aerospace hardware. The alloy’s chromium and molybdenum content give it impressive resistance to corrosion and chemical attack, while its non‑magnetic, stable austenitic structure ensures reliability in precision applications. Altogether, CoNiChrome offers a rare combination of durability, resilience, and environmental stability that few alloys can match.
- Inventory & Specs
- Chemical Composition
- Physical Properties
- Mechanical Properties
- Datasheet
- Additional Info
- FAQs
Inventory Size Ranges for CoNiChome
| Type | Thickness | ASTM | UNS | Get a Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision Reroll Strip | 0.0008" - 0.015" | ASTM F1058 | UNS R30003, UNS R30008 | Get a Quote |
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Advanced Inventory Size Ranges for CoNiChome
| Type | Size Range | Get a Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Get a Quote |
Characteristics of CoNiChrome
CoNiChrome is a high‑performance cobalt–nickel–chromium–molybdenum alloy known for its exceptional strength, corrosion resistance, fatigue performance, and stability at elevated temperatures. This alloy has very high tensile strength, at 125 ksi annealed. CoNiChrome has high fatigue strength and excellent ductility, maintaining its toughness even at high strength levels and in cyclic loading environments. The corrosion resistance of this product is outstanding, making it useful in chloride, bodily, and chemical processing environments. CoNiChrome is non-magnetic and has low inclusions which improves its fatigue life and reliability, making it useful for medical applications.
Working with CoNiChrome
CoNiChrome is tough, work-hardening, and abrasive, so machining requires low surface speeds and moderate feed rates. This alloy was designed to be strengthened by cold work, so forming requires force. Expect high springback, multiple small reductions, and intermediate anneals. Generally, annealing softens the alloy but does not produce precipitation hardening. Additionally, over-annealing can reduce fatigue performance. CoNiChrome is not a true age-hardening alloy. Heat treatment is mainly for stress relief or softening before forming. Welding CoNiChrome is possible but requires low heat input. Post-weld mechanical properties may differ from parent material. For critical fatigue-loaded parts, welding is often avoided entirely.
Other industry standards we comply with:
Industry Applications for CoNiChome
- Suture wires
- Surgical clops
- Pacemaker leads
- Stents
- Vena cava filters
- Orthopedic nails
- Precision springs
- Torsion bars
- Seals
Chemical Composition
| Element | Percent by Weight Min | Percent by Weight Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Carbon | - | 0.15 |
| Co | Cobalt | 39.0 | 42.0 |
| Cr | Chromium | 18.5 | 21.5 |
| P | Phosphorus | - | 0.015 |
| Be | Beryllium | - | 0.001 |
| Mo | Molybdenum | 6.0 | 8.0 |
| Si | Silicon | - | 1.20 |
| S | Sulfur | - | 1.20 |
| Fe | Iron | - | Balance |
| Ni | Nickel | 14.0 | 18.0 |
| Mn | Manganese | 1.0 | 2.5 |
Physical Properties
- Density: 0.300 lb/in3
- Magnetic Properties: This material is non-magnetic in its annealed, cold worked, and aged conditions.
Mechanical Properties
| Condition | 0.2% Yield Strength | Ultimate Tensile Strength | % Elongation in 4D | % Reduction of Area | Orientation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annealed | 52 ksi (359 MPa) | 124 ksi (855MPa) | 80 | 80 | Long |
| Cold Worked | 100-250 ksi (690-1724 MPa) | 150-280 ksi (1034-1930 MPa) | Long | ||
| Cold Worked + Aged | 250-300+ ksi (1724-2068+ MPa) | Long |
Datasheet
Additional Info
A Brief History of CoNiChrome
CoNiChrome emerged in the mid‑20th century as engineers and metallurgists searched for alloys that could withstand extreme mechanical and environmental demands. Traditional stainless steels and nickel alloys offered strength or corrosion resistance, but rarely both at the levels required for aerospace and medical innovation. Cobalt‑based alloys had already shown promise in high‑temperature and wear‑resistant applications, and researchers began experimenting with combinations of cobalt, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. These efforts eventually produced a family of alloys that delivered an unusually balanced set of properties: high strength, excellent fatigue resistance, and outstanding corrosion performance.
How CoNiChrome was Developed
The development of CoNiChrome was driven by the need for a material that could maintain strength under repeated stress while resisting corrosion in harsh environments. Metallurgists refined the alloy through controlled additions of chromium for corrosion resistance, nickel for toughness and stability, and molybdenum for strength and pitting resistance. The breakthrough came when researchers discovered that the alloy’s mechanical properties could be dramatically enhanced through cold working rather than heat treatment. This allowed manufacturers to tailor strength and elasticity to specific applications, making CoNiChrome one of the most versatile high‑performance spring alloys ever produced.
Early Applications of CoNiChrome
One of the earliest uses of CoNiChrome was in precision mechanical components, especially watch springs, where its combination of elasticity, fatigue resistance, and corrosion stability offered a major advantage over carbon steels. As the alloy’s capabilities became better understood, it quickly found its way into aerospace components, where lightweight, high‑strength materials were essential. Medical device manufacturers also adopted the alloy early on, recognizing its biocompatibility and resistance to body fluids. Orthodontic wires, surgical springs, and implant components became common applications long before many modern biomaterials existed.
How CoNiChrome is Used Today
Today, CoNiChrome is a staple in industries that demand reliability under extreme conditions.
- Aerospace: Springs, fasteners, cyclic loading components
- Medical: orthodontic arch wires, stents, surgical instruments, springs
Your Trusted Supplier of CoNiChrome
United Performance Metals supplies CoNiChrome in precision rerolled strip sizes 0.0008" - 0.015". This alloy us used in applications where high strength, excellent fatigue resistance, and outstanding corrosion performance are essential. CoNiChrome is used for medical devices, aerospace fasteners, energy and chemical processing parts, and precision industrial applications.
Product FAQs
Unlike stainless steels, CoNiChrome maintains high strength after cold working, offers superior fatigue life, and resists corrosion in more aggressive environments. It is also non‑magnetic, which stainless steels often are not.
CoNiChrome is not precipitation‑hardening. Its strength comes primarily from cold work, meaning mechanical deformation such as drawing, rolling, or forming increases its hardness and tensile strength.
The chromium and molybdenum content in CoNiChrome give it excellent resistance to pitting, crevice corrosion, and chloride attack, making it suitable for marine, chemical, and physiological environments.