Palladium alloy for ceramic bonding

Claim 2

A DENTAL CASTING ALLOY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 40-60 PERCENT PRECIOUS METAL COMPONENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PALLADIUM AND MIXTURES OF PALLADIUM AND PLATINUM WHEREIN THE PLATINUM IS IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO 12 PERCENT OF THE ALLOY BUT NOT IN EXCESS OF 25 PERCENT OF THE PALLADIUM CONTENT; 20-59 PERCENT NON-PRECIOUS METAL COMPONENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 20-50 PERCENT COBALT AND MIXTURES OF 20-50 PERCENT COBALT AND UP TO 25 PERCENT NICKEL WHEREIN THE NICKEL CONTENT DOES NOT EXCEED THE COBALT CONTENT; AND A MODIFIER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 1-8 PERCENT INDIUM, 1-3 PERCENT TIN, AND 1-8 PERCENT OF MIXTURES OF TIN AND INDIUM WHEREIN THE TIN DOES NOT EXCEED 3 PERCENT; SAID ALLOY CONTAINING AS OPTIONAL ADDITIVES, 0-5 PERCENT ZINC, 0-5 PERCENT IRON, 0-5 PERCENT TUNGSTEN, 0-2 PERCENT RUTHENIUM, 0-2 PERCENT RHODIUM AND 0-10 PERCENT MOLYBDENUM, SAID ALLOY HAVING A THERMAL COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION OF 14.5-15.2 X 10**-6 PER DEGREE CENTIGRADE UP TO 600* CENTIGRADE.

Claim 3

The dental casting alloy in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is included 1-5 percent zinc.

Claim 4

The dental casting alloy in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is included 2-8 percent molybdenum.

Claim 5

The dental casting alloy in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-precious metal component is 10-20 percent nickel and 22-35 percent cobalt.

Claim 6

The dental casting alloy in accordance with claim 1 wherein the palladium content is 40-60 percent, the nickel content is 10-20 percent, the modifier is indium in the amount of 2-5 percent, the molybdenum content is 2-8 percent and the cobalt content is 22-35 percent.

Claim 7

The dental casting alloy in accordance in claim 1 wherein the modifier is indium in the amount of 2-5 percent.

Claim 8

The dental casting alloy in accordance with claim 1 wherein the precious metal component comprises 45-60 percent, the non-precious metal component comprises 35-48 percent and the modifier comprises 2-5 percent.

Claim 9

A tooth structure including: a. a cast base of a metal alloy consisting essentially of about 40-60 percent precious metal component selected from the group consisting of palladium and mixtures of palladium and platinum wherein the platinum is in the amount of up to 12 percent of the alloy but not in excess of 25 percent of the palladium content; 20-59 percent non-precious metal component selected from the group consisting of 20-50 percent cobalt and mixtures of 20-50 percent cobalt and 0-25 percent nickel wherein the nickel content does not exceed the cobalt content; and a modifier selected from the group consisting of 1-8 percent indium, 1-3 percent tin, and 1-8 percent of mixtures of tin and indium wherein the tin does not exceed 3 percent; said alloy containing as optional additives 0-5 percent zinc, 0-5 percent iron, 0-5 percent tungsten, 0-2 percent ruthenium, 0-2 percent rhodium and 0-10 percent molybdenum, said alloy having a thermal coefficient of expansion of 14.5-15.2 X 10 6 per degree Centigrade up to 600* Centigrade; b. a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the surface of said cast base, said ceramic coating being comprised of a glass matrix constituent having a base selected from the group consisting of feldspar and nepheline and a crystalline constituent of leucite, said ceramic coating being firmly bonded to said cast base.

Claim 10

A tooth structure including: a. a cast base of a metal alloy consisting essentially of about 40-60 percent precious metal component selected from the group consisting of palladium and mixtures of palladium and platinum wherein the platinum is in the amount of up to 12 percent of the alloy but not in excess of 25 percent of the palladium content; 20-59 percent non-precious metal component selected from the group consisting of 20-50 percent cobalt and mixtures of 20-50 percent cobalt and 0-25 percent nickel wherein the nickel content does not exceed the cobalt content; and a modifier selected from the group consisting of 1-8 percent indium, 1-3 percent tin, and 1-8 percent of mixtures of tin and indium wherein the tin does not exceed 3 percent; said alloy containing as optional additives 0-5 percent zinc, 0-5 percent iron, 0-5 percent tungsten, 0-2 percent ruthenium, 0-2 percent rhodium and 0-10 percent molybdenum, said alloy having a thermal coefficient of expansion of 14.5-15.2 X 10 6 per degree Centigrade up to 600* Centigrade; b. a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the surface of said cast base, said ceramic coating being comprised of a glass matrix constituent having a base selected from the group consisting of feldspar and nepheline and a crystalline constituent of leucite, said ceramic coating being firmly bonded to said cast base.

Claim 11

The tooth structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein said matrix basis is feldspar.

Claim 12

The tooth structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein the modifier is indium in the amount of 2-5 percent.

Claim 13

The tooth structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein the palladium content is 40-60 percent, the nickel content is 10-20 percent, the modifier is indium in the amount of 2-5 percent, the molybdenum content is 2-8 percent and the cobalt content is 22-35 percent.

Claim 14

The tooth structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein said ceramic coating is fired against said cast base and is bonded thereto by chemical and diffusion bonding.