A group of substantially nickel-free beta-titanium alloys have shape memory and super-elastic properties suitable for, e.g., medical device applications. In particular, the present disclosure provides a titanium-based group of alloys including 16-20 at. % of hafnium, zirconium or a mixture thereof, 8-17 at. % niobium, and 0.25-6 at. % tin. This alloy group exhibits recoverable strains of at least 3.5% after axial, bending or torsional deformation. In some instances, the alloys have a capability to recover of more than 5% deformation strain. Niobium and tin are provided in the alloy to control beta phase stability, which enhances the ability of the materials to exhibit shape memory or super-elastic properties at a desired application temperature (e.g., body temperature). Hafnium and/or zirconium may be interchangeably added to increase the radiopacity of the material, and also contribute to the superelasticity of the material.

A method and an apparatus for producing metallic semi-finished products by means of remelting and/or remelt-alloying. Here, the material is melted selectively locally in a melting capillary in the material volume by means of high-energy, focused radiation, the melting capillary is moved through the material and the material is cooled down at a high cooling rate by means of a cooled heat sink, which is located close to the melting capillary and coupled to the material in a well heat-conductive manner.

A method for manufacturing a shape-set nonlinear non-superelastic file comprising the steps of: providing a superelastic file having a shaft and a file axis; providing a fixture including a file path being defined by one or more displacement members, the file path configured for receiving the shaft; inserting at least a portion of the shaft into the fixture along the file path, the portion of the shaft including a first portion of the shaft; contacting the first portion of the shaft with a first displacement member of the one or more displacement members such that the first portion of the shaft is displaced from the file axis thereby forming a first offset portion of the shaft; heating the portion of the shaft while inserted in the fixture to a temperature of at least about 350 C. to about 600 C. for a time period of about 3 minutes to about 30 minutes to shape-set the portion of the shaft while altering the austenite finish temperature thereby forming the shape-set nonlinear non-superelastic file; and wherein the altered austenite finish temperature of the shape-set nonlinear non-superelastic file is ranges from about 20 C. to about 40 C.

Systems and methods for shifting a position of one or more optical elements are disclosed. In an 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.

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.

A device includes a capsule extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and including a channel extending therethrough. The capsule is releasably coupled to a proximal portion of the device. Device also includes a first arm rigidly fixed to the distal end of the capsule to extend distally therefrom. In addition, Device includes a second arm, a proximal end of which is slidably received within the capsule so that the second arm is movable between an open configuration, in which the second arm is moved laterally away from the first arm and a distal end of the second arm is moved distally past the distal end of the first arm, and a closed configuration, in which the second arm is moved toward the first arm and the distal end of the second arm is moved proximally toward the distal end of the first arm.

A method for manufacturing a nonlinear superelastic file comprising the steps of: providing a superelastic file having a shaft and a file axis; providing a fixture including a file groove being defined by one or more displacement members, the file groove configured for receiving the shaft; inserting at least a portion of the shaft into the fixture along the file groove, the portion of the shaft including a first portion of the shaft; contacting the first portion of the shaft with a first displacement member of the one or more displacement members such that the first portion of the shaft is displaced from the file axis thereby forming a first offset portion of the shaft; heating the portion of the shaft while inserted in the fixture to a temperature of at least about 300 C. for a time period of at least about 1 minute to shape-set the portion of the shaft thereby forming a shape-set nonlinear file.

A CuAlMn-based alloy having superelastic characteristics and having a recrystallized texture substantially formed of a single phase, in which 70% or more of crystal grains is within a range of 0 to 50 in a deviation angle from <001> orientation of a crystalline orientation measured in a working direction by electron back-scatter diffraction patterning.

A method to produce a high strength NiTiHf alloy, a NiTiHfZr alloy or a NiTiZr alloy are disclosed. The alloys comprise less than about 10 atomic percent of Hf, Hf+Zr, or Zr, respectively. The alloys, devices containing the alloys and methods of producing the devices are also disclosed.

TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy shape-memory wires are provided which are suitable for use in medical devices and actuators, and methods for manufacturing such wires are provided. The present shape-memory TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy is a superelastic wire material particularly suited for in vivo applications. For example, the present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy wire is radiopaque, thereby enabling surgical use of a monolithic, shape-memory alloy wire while preserving the ability to monitor the in vivo location of the wire through X-ray or other radiation-based imaging systems. In addition, the present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy can be manufactured to exhibit shape-memory alloy material properties without the use of nickel as an alloy constituent, thereby accommodating nickel-sensitive patients. The present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy can also be processed to exhibit a martensite/austenite transformation temperature near body-temperature, i.e., 37 C., so that shape-memory effects can be utilized to accomplish work in vivo.