GUIDE WIRE UTILIZING A NICKEL-TITANIUM ALLOY HAVING HIGH ELASTIC MODULUS IN THE MARTENSITIC PHASE

摘要

Guide wire devices fabricated from a linear pseudo-elastic Ni-Ti alloy and methods for their manufacture. The Ni-Ti alloy that includes nickel, titanium, and about 3 atomic % (at%) to about 30 at% niobium (Nb). Cold working the Ni-Ti alloy stabilizes the alloy's martensitic phase and yields a linear pseudo-elastic microstructure where reversion to the austenite phase is retarded or altogether blocked. The martensitic phase of cold worked, linear pseudo-elastic Ni-Ti-Nb alloy has an elastic modulus that is considerably higher than the comparable cold worked, linear pseudoelastic binary Ni-Ti alloy. This yields a guide wire device that has better torque response and steerability as compared to cold worked, linear pseudoelastic binary Ni-Ti alloy or superelastic binary Ni-Ti alloy.