Amorphous alloy stents
View Patent ↗Stents made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and methods of making such stents are provided.
1. A stent of a radially compactable generally tubular body comprising a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy, wherein the alloy is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.0% in a compacted form of the stent.
2. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy has an elastic strain of at least 1.5%.
3. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy has an elastic strain of at least 1.5%, and a yield strength of more than 1.4 Gpa.
4. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy has an elastic strain of at least 1.8%, and a yield strength of more than 1.9 Gpa.
5. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.5% in a compacted form of the stent.
6. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.8% in a compacted form of the stent.
7. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy is subjected to an elastic strain of less than 0.5% in an expanded form of the stent.
8. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy has a delta T of greater than 90° C.
9. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous alloy is a Zr/Ti base bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy.
10. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the stent has a cross-section selected from the group consisting of hexagonal and round.
11. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of pieces arranged in a conformation selected from the group consisting of coiled spring, helical wound spring coil, zigzag pattern, diamond shaped, and non-mesh designs.
12. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the wall of the body has a plurality of aperture openings.
13. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body covers between 9 and 20% of a vessel into which the stent is implanted.
14. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body covers at least 80% of a vessel into which the stent is implanted.
15. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least two tubular segments which overlap or abut to form a single tubular body.
16. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the stent is self-expanding.
17. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body is branched.
18. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body has a wall thickness of less than 0.5 mm.
19. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the body has a wall thickness of less than 0.25 mm.
20. The stent described in claim 1 , wherein the stent is one of either a stent graft or intraluminal graft.
21. A method of forming a stent, comprising:
providing a molten piece of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
providing a mold in the shape of a desired stent component;
casting the molten amorphous alloy into a plurality of near-to-net shape stent components;
assembling a stent from the stent components; and
compacting the stent radially to form a compacted stent, wherein the amorphous alloy piece is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.0% during compacting.
22. The method as described in claim 21 , further comprising finishing an outer surface the stent, wherein the finishing is selected from a process selected from the group consisting of electro-polishing and chemical etching.
23. The method as described in claim 21 , further comprising modifying an outer surface of the stent by a treatment selected from the group consisting of chemical treatment, thermal treatment, and a combination thereof.
24. A method of forming a stent, comprising:
providing a feedstock a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
heating the feedstock to around the glass transition temperature of the amorphous alloy;
providing a mold in the shape of a desired stent component;
molding the molten amorphous alloy into a plurality of near-to-net shape stent components;
assembling a stent from the stent components; and
compacting the stent radially to form a compacted stent, wherein the amorphous alloy piece is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.0% during compacting.
25. The method as described in claim 24 , further comprising finishing an outer surface the stent, wherein the finishing is selected from a process selected from the group consisting of electro-polishing and chemical etching.
26. The method as described in claim 24 , further comprising modifying an outer surface of the stent by a treatment selected from the group consisting of chemical treatment, thermal treatment, and a combination thereof.
27. A method of forming a stent comprising:
providing a tubular body made of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
processing the tubular body to form a pattern of surface features therein, wherein the surface features extend at least partially through the wall of the body; and
compacting the stent radially to form a compacted stent, wherein the amorphous alloy is subjected to an elastic strain of at least 1.0% during compacting.
28. The method as described in claim 27 , wherein the processing includes a manufacturing method selected from the group consisting of electrostatic discharge machining (EDM), chemical milling, ablation and laser cutting.
29. The method as described in claim 27 , further comprising finishing an outer surface the stent, wherein the finishing is selected from a process selected from the group consisting of electro-polishing and chemical etching.
30. The method as described in claim 27 , further comprising modifying an outer surface of the stent by a treatment selected from the group consisting of chemical treatment, thermal treatment, and a combination thereof.