There are super elastic NiTi materials for use as medical components, especially implantable medical components, and methods of fabricating such components to have desired R-phase characteristics in-vivo. Additionally, there are methods of processing a TiNi material to produce an implantable medical component by cold or warm working the TiNi material at least 15%; aging the cold or warm worked TiNi material under stress at between 300-700? C.; and further aging the TiNi material below 300? C. to produce desired R-phase characteristics. Additionally, there are methods of processing a TiNi material to produce a medical component by processing the TiNi material to produce a medical component that has a stress free M*s below a normal body temperature. Additionally, a TiNi material is used to produce a super elastic medical component from a tube, a sheet, a wire or a strip to have a stress free M*s below a normal body temperature.

An engine turning clock work motor including two shape memory alloy (SMA) torque tube actuators, ratcheting mechanisms, and gearing. The gearing communicates the SMA torque tube actuators with a common gear that applies torque to a shaft, so that while one torque tube is heated and applying torque, the other torque tube is relaxed (using a cooling mechanism). The ratchet prevents the relaxing torque tube from applying torque in the incorrect direction.

Medical instruments, particularly, endodontic instruments with unique limited memory characteristics, and methods for making such instruments. One embodiment includes heat treating an endodontic blank prior to forming a working portion of the endodontic instrument.

Methods for modifying a physical characteristic of finished endodontic instruments made from one or more superelastic alloys is described which include heat treating one or more finished endodontic instruments in a salt bath for a specific time (e.g., from about four hours to about six hours), at a specified temperature (e.g., from about 475 C. to about 550 C.), and preferably at a specified pH range.

Systems and methods for shifting a position of one or more optical elements are disclosed. In embodiment, a system may include a housing having a chamber formed therein, at least one non-linear crystal disposed in the chamber, the non-linear crystal configured to receive at least one incident signal and to convert a wavelength of at least a portion of the incident signal, and at least one shape memory alloy element disposed such that thermal or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes movement of the non-linear crystal.

To provide a heat resistant metal gasket that is controlled to have a strength level (ordinary temperature hardness) capable of facilitating processing, and has excellent gas leak resistance. An austenitic stainless steel sheet for a metal gasket, having a chemical composition containing from 0.015 to 0.200% of C, from 1.50 to 5.00% of Si, from 0.30 to 2.50% of Mn, from 7.0 to 17.0% of Ni, from 13.0 to 23.0% of Cr, and from 0.005 to 0.250% of N, all in terms of percentage by mass, containing, as necessary, at least one of Mo, Cu, Nb, Ti, V, Zr, W, Co, B, Al, REM (rare-earth element except for Y), Y, Ca and Mg, with the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, having an ordinary temperature hardness of 430 HV or less, having a half width of a peak of an austenite crystal (311) plane in an X-ray diffraction pattern of a cross section perpendicular to a sheet thickness direction of from 0.10 to 1.60, and having a surface roughness Ra of 0.30 mm or less.

A method for treating a material comprising: applying energy to a predetermined portion of the material in a controlled manner such that the local chemistry of the predetermined portion is altered to provide a predetermined result. When the material is a shape memory material, the predetermined result may be to provide an additional memory to the predetermined portion or to alter the pseudo-elastic properties of the shape memory material. In other examples, which are not necessarily restricted to shape memory materials, the process may be used to adjust the concentration of components at the surface to allow the formation of an oxide layer at the surface of the material to provide corrosion resistance; to remove contaminants from the material; to adjust surface texture; or to generate at least one additional phase particle in the material to provide a nucleation site for grain growth, which in turn, can strengthen the material.

Methods for controlling properties of structural elements of implantable medical devices, where the structural elements contain shape memory alloys (SMAs) include promoting or inhibiting in vivo formation of R-phase crystal structure or converging or separating the R-phase from the austenite phase.

Provided is a method of making a polycrystalline shape memory alloy (SMA) by forming an alloy with grains and boundaries between them, exposing the alloy to a two-phase temperature range at which a two-phase equilibrium is achieved in the alloy, converting grains to an austenite phase, and precipitating a face-centered-cubic crystal structure solid solution phase at grain boundaries, then quenching the alloy. Also provided is a polycrystalline SMA with a dual-phase microstructure having grains mostly in an austenite phase, a martensite phase, or in transition between an austenite phase and a martensite phase and grain boundaries containing a face-centered-cubic crystal structure solid solution phase.

A method for treating a material comprising: applying energy to a predetermined portion of the material in a controlled manner such that the local chemistry of the predetermined portion is altered to provide a predetermined result. When the material is a shape memory material, the predetermined result may be to provide an additional memory to the predetermined portion or to alter the pseudo-elastic properties of the shape memory material. In other examples, which are not necessarily restricted to shape memory materials, the process may be used to adjust the concentration of components at the surface to allow the formation of an oxide layer at the surface of the material to provide corrosion resistance; to remove contaminants from the material; to adjust surface texture; or to generate at least one additional phase particle in the material to provide a nucleation site for grain growth, which in turn, can strengthen the material.