Fatigue damage resistant wire and method of production thereof

摘要

Fatigue damage resistant metal or metal alloy wires have a submicron-scale or nanograin microstructure that demonstrates improved fatigue damage resistance properties, and methods for manufacturing such wires. The present method may be used to form a wire having a nanograin microstructure characterized by a mean grain size that is 500 nm or less, in which the wire demonstrates improved fatigue damage resistance. Wire manufactured in accordance with the present process may show improvement in one or more other material properties, such as ultimate strength, unloading plateau strength, permanent set, ductility, and recoverable strain, for example. Wire manufactured in accordance with the present process is suitable for use in a medical device, or other high end application.

主权项

1. A metallic wire comprising an implant grade, non-shape memory metal or metal alloy having a diameter less than 1.0 mm, and a mean grain size of less than 500 nanometers throughout said non-shape memory metal or metal alloy of said metallic wire, as measured along all arbitrarily defined axes of the respective grains.