ESOMAT 2009, 07014 (2009)
DOI: 10.1051/esomat/200907014

Electrochemical parameters and biocompatibility of bare Nitinol surfaces

S. Shabalovskaya^{1, 2}, G. Rondelli³ and M. Rettenmayr<sup>1

1</sup>  Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Metallic Materials, Friedrich-Schiller University, Loebdergraben 32, 07743 Jena, Germany
²  Ames Laboratory-DOE, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
³  Institute of Energy and Interphases, CNR, Milano, Italy

svetinol@yahoo.com

Published online: 1 September 2009

Abstract
For understanding the nature of the variable thrombogenicity of bare Nitinol surfaces, a systematic study of electrochemical parameters was performed on disc and wire samples using cyclic potential polarization, open circuit potential and polarization resistance. The surfaces treated using chemical solutions showed consistent corrosion behavior, but mechanically polished and heat treated samples were prone to pitting. The polarization resistance of bare Nitinol surfaces varied in a range from 100 KΩ cm² to 10 MΩ cm², and the open circuit potentials from -440 mV to -55 mV implying the variability in corrosion rate and surface reactivity. Ni surface concentrations and ion release are discussed in terms of surface charge in connection with fibrinogen adsorption and platelet activation.

© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences 2009