Variations of color with alloying elements in Pd-free Au–Pt-based high noble dental alloys

The effects of alloying addition of a small amount of base metals (In, Sn, Fe, Zn) on color variations in Pd-free Au–Pt-based high noble dental alloys were investigated in terms of rectilinear and polar color coordinates. The ternary Au–Pt–X (X = In, Sn, Fe, Zn) and quaternary Au–Pt–In–Y (Y = Sn, Fe, Zn) alloys were prepared from high purity component metals. The amount of alloying base metals, X and Y, were restricted up to 2 at.%. The alloying addition of a small amount of Fe, In, Sn, to a binary Au–10 at.% Pt alloy (referred to as AP10) effectively increased chroma, C^*. On the other hand, the addition of Zn to the parent alloy AP10 did not change color coordinates greatly. The increase in chroma in the present Au–Pt-based high noble alloys was attributed to the increase in the slope of spectral reflectance curve at its absorption edge near 515 nm. It was found that the addition of a small amount of Fe to the parent alloy AP10 markedly increased lightness, L^*, and the addition of Sn gave a very light tint of red to the parent alloy. Although red–green chromaticity index a^* contributed to chroma to some extent, contribution of yellow–blue chromaticity index b^* was much greater in determining chroma in this Pd-free Au–Pt-based multi-component alloys. The present results are expected to be valuable in case color is to be taken into account in designing Pd-free Au–Pt-based high noble dental alloys.