TECHNOLOGICAL STUDY AND MONITORING OF THE SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZATION OF THE Ni–Ti SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY WITH POLYMERIC COATING

Ni–Ti shape memory alloys are generally applied to produce orthodontic and orthopedic implants. However, it is essential to highlight that implants may fail due to local inflammation caused by the accumulation of bacteria. Therefore, functionalizing the metal surface with biocompatible polymeric coatings is generally used to avoid implant failure. This article addresses a technological monitoring study of Ni–Ti shape memory alloys with surface functionalized with polymeric coatings, using patents as sources of information. The Questel Orbit® platform was used to collect the information, applying the following keywords as previous search terms: “nickel–titanium”, “Ni–Ti”, “Nitinol”, “Coated”, and “Polymer”. Among the areas of technologies related to the topic, the ones that stood out the most were the systems used to produce advanced biomedical devices for use in medicine, such as stents, plates, pins, and wires applied to orthodontic and orthopedic devices. Therefore, the results of this research show a general overview of the main innovations developed in the area and, therefore, can guide future research focused on developing systems formed by Ni–Ti alloys coated with polymers applied in different technological sectors.