Objective This proposal is prepared with the help of an Exploratory Award, which included a Research Feasibility Study. The report on the study is included in this proposal. This project addresses a new concept in speciality materials for medical applications. Continuing advances in the areas of clinical science involving the use of implants inside the human body, have created demand for materials that need to satisfy the twin needs of biocompatibility and special properties, such as the shape memory effect and superelasticity. Titanium Nickel based alloys possess the aforementioned properties and their use is rapidly gaining acceptance. Nickel however, is well known to cause adverse effects to the body, i.e. allergenic reactions. Although biocompatibility tests have not detected adverse effects, complete removal of nickel from shape memory alloys would eliminate the chance of any toxic effects. Additions of elements, such as zirconium, niobium, tantalum and platinum, which are essentially biocompatible, when alloyed with titanium may exhibit the shape memory effect. This research programme is designed to identify suitable alloys in this group, which would have all the beneficial shape memory effects of the titanium nickel based alloys and also reduce adverse biological responses.Whether a good combination can be found is still a risk, because the shape memory ability depends on close tolerances regarding alloying and production processes. This project would produce an alloy that is more attractive to the medical profession. Indirect benefit is that indications are given that the alloy possesses better properties with regard to formability. It may increase the use of titanium based memory alloys in new applications such as implanted drug delivery systems, endoscopy, laproscopy. It is assumed that in a couple of years nickel will be exchanged for alternatives by the whole medical world, followed by all areas where materials are in long term and close contact with the human body. All this opening a broad field of market potential for nickel free shape memory alloys and the companies in possession of it. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0201 - Materials engineering Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CRS - Cooperative research contracts Coordinator Dyna Dental Engineering BV EU contribution No data Address 26,Korenbeursstraat 4600 AB Bergen op Zoom Netherlands See on map Total cost No data Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all A.M.F. France EU contribution No data Address Rue de la Californie 36260 Reuilly See on map Total cost No data Anson Medical Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Milton Park OX14 4RX Abingdon See on map Total cost No data Commissariat á l'Energie Atomique France EU contribution No data Address Ctr Etudes de Saclay - CE-S 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette See on map Total cost No data EROTHITAN TITANIMPLANTATE AG Germany EU contribution No data Address Eichenrain 28 98574 SCHMALKALDEN See on map Total cost No data GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address 45,Höfener Strasse 90431 Nürnberg See on map Total cost No data N/A EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data