Abstract
It has been shown that the surface quality of cardiovascular stents has a significant influence on the biocompatibility. In particular, a smooth surface is required. The major objective of the present study is to explore the optimal methods for polishing NiTi stents. Electrochemical polishing was mainly explored, in which several parameters were investigated including applied voltage, polishing time, as well as acid pickling prior to polishing. As a comparison, chemical polishing was also conducted. Both mechanical and electrochemical polishing of NiTi sheet material were employed in order to study the influence of electrochemical polishing on the surface composition of the NiTi stent. Pickling was necessary prior to electrochemical polishing for removing the oxide films covering the stent surface. An optimal condition for polishing was found and could provide a significant improvement of the surface quality of the NiTi stents.
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