Nitinol biocompatibility
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Nitinol biocompatibility is an important factor in biomedical applications. Nitinol (NiTi), which is formed by alloying nickel and titanium (~ 50% Ni), is a shape-memory alloy with superelastic properties more similar to that of bone,[clarification needed] when compared to stainless steel, another commonly used biomaterial. Biomedical applications that utilize nitinol include stents, heart valve tools, bone anchors, staples, septal defect devices and implants. It is a commonly used biomaterial especially in the development of stent technology.
Metal implants containing a combination of biocompatible metals or used in conjunction with other biomaterials are often considered the standard for many implant types. Passivation is a process that removes corrosive implant elements from the implant-body interface and creates an oxide layer on the surface of the implant. The process is important for making biomaterials more biocompatible.