Magnetic properties of Ni-Co-Cr-base Elgiloy

Abstract

The Ni-Co-Cr-base Elgiloy is one of the commonly used engineering materials. Most applications rely on its high strength, ductility, corrosion resistance and excellent fatigue life over a wide temperature range. However, in the medical application of cerebral aneurysm clips, the alloy is often subjected to strong magnetic fields associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Its paramagnetic behavior meets MRI safety requirements, but is the source of relatively large artifacts and thus less MRI-compatible for MRI procedure involving the brain. This article reports superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements on the magnetic properties of a series of Elgiloy wires in either as-drawn or heat-treated conditions. Furthermore, low-temperature calorimetry was employed to reveal the existence of submicroscopic clusters containing ferromagnetic elements such as Ni or Co in the macroscopically paramagnetic matrix.