Wear Resistance of Platinum

TechForm was proud to partner with FEM Research Institute Precious Metals + Metal Chemistry and Platinum Guild International to provide scientific evidence of platinum’s superior wear resistance over white gold. This confirms what bench jewelers have known for years, platinum is the best choice for secure settings and long-lasting jewelry!

You can read the pre-print of the full accepted manuscript here:  Wear Resistance of Platinum and Gold Alloys: A Comparative Study. The article will be published formally by the Johnson Matthey Technology Review (JMTR) in July.

Wear Resistance of Platinum  Research Abstract

A series of iterative wear and corrosion tests were conducted on two 950 platinum alloys, two 585 white gold alloys and two 750 white gold alloys. Testing followed standardized industrial procedures in order to provide comparable and reproducible conditions. Wear testing comprised a sequence including abrasion testing, corrosion testing and polish testing. Mass loss was recorded after each test cycle. Five complete test cycles were followed by two long-term polish tests. The total testing time was ca. 250 h. A pronounced difference in the mass and volume loss between the platinum and the gold alloys was observed. The absolute volume loss per surface area of the platinum alloys was a factor of two to three times lower than that of the gold alloys. The highest volume loss was observed for 750AuPd, followed by 585AuPd, 585AuNi and 750AuNi with the latter three showing similar wear behaviours. The mass loss increased linearly with testing time. No measurable mass loss was observed by corrosion testing in our limited duration test cycle and the only alloy exhibiting significant corrosion was 585AuNi. Hardness of the alloys was determined by Vickers microhardness testing at a 100 g load. Notably, higher hardness levels were not found to be an indicator for low mass or volume loss.

Dig into platinum research on our page https://techformcasting.com/press-publications/ 

For more of The Eternal Metal

In this webinar, study co-authors Teresa Frye and Dr. Ulrich Klotz discuss how they started with powerful anecdotal evidence from the bench and concluded with scientific proof of platinum’s superior resistance to wear.

“PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL highlights a recent independent study that proves the long-supported anecdotal evidence of platinum’s outstanding wear resistance and gem-setting security. In this hour-long webinar, Teresa Frye, owner of TechForm Advanced Casting, and Ulrich Klotz, head of fem’s (Germany’s Research Institute for Precious Metals and Metals Chemistry) Department of Physical Metallurgy, will discuss the study in greater detail.”