Pseudoelastic properties of thin walled NiTi tubes

In spite of an increasing number of (potential) applications the availability of NiTi tubes remains questionable. Only few vendors commercialize thin walled tubes and very often the product related information is scarce. In this work we tested the properties of some pseudoelastic tubes available on the market. Samples taken from different vendors have been characterized by means of calorimetry (on as received, homogenized and shape memorized samples), optical and electronic microscopy and mechanical properties at different temperatures. The results obtained are presented at the light of the potential use of these tubes in the production of pseudoelastic biomedical devices.