Sandvik Ab

St. Jude Medical Ab

Advanced Industrial Materials

Episurf Medical Ab

Mats Nygren

Nina Bake

Rolf Hill

Eva Micski

Gunnar Westin

Magnus Ekelund

Henrik Djurling

Mats Johnsson

Stefan S Ederyd

Andreas Örnberg

Asa Ekstrand

Niklas Ahlen

Udo K Fischer

Mats G Waldenstrom

Gunnar Brandt

Leif Ryd

R Tom Coyle

Enrico Galli

ANGsa Ekstrand

A connector for an implantable medical lead that is electrically and mechanically connectable to an implantable medical device, has a connector pin made of a first conducting material. A tubular insulator made of an insulating material concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the pin. A connector ring made of a second conducting material is concentrically positioned around at least a portion of the insulator. The insulator is connected to the connector ring by spark plasma sintering in the case of an active fixation lead, and is connected to the ring and the pin by spark plasma sintering in the case of a passive fixation lead.

Method of producing a proximal connector end of an implantable lead

There is disclosed a method of producing, in large volume and at low cost, titanium carbide, nitride and carbonitride whiskers, with preferably submicron diameters, to be used as reinforcing material. The whiskers are suitable for use as a reinforcement material in a wide range of materials, including metals, intermetallics, plastics, ceramics and metallic bonded hard material. Titanium oxide, hydroxide or alkali compounds thereof are mixed with a carbon source with a volatile part which volatiles at temperatures exceeding 500.degree. C. and in an amount to satisfy the stoichiometric requirements of the carbide or nitride. A halogenide salt is used as a volatilization agent for titanium as well as a catalyst able to dissolve Ti plus C and/or N, such as Ni or Co. The reactant powders are blended in some typical manner, e.g., by using a high speed blender so as to intimately mix them. Finally, the mixed starting material is subjected to nitriding, carbonizing or carbonitriding heat treatments in order to produce the desired whiskers.

Manufacture of titanium carbide, nitride and carbonitride whiskers

Method of coating cutting inserts

A method of making a hard constituent powder coated with at least one iron group metal, Me, by dissolving and complex binding at least one of Me.sub.n (NO.sub.3).sub.m and Me.sub.n (SO.sub.4).sub.m and other similar Me.sub.n --X.sub.m compounds containing X-groups with low or no carbon content, preferably Me-nitrates, solely or together with one or more metal salts of at least one iron group metal containing organic groups in at least one polar solvent with at least one complex former comprising functional groups in the form of OH or NR.sub.3, (R=H or alkyl). Hard constituent powder is added to the solution. The solvent is evaporated and remaining powder is heat treated in an inert and/or reducing atmosphere. As a result, coated hard constituent powder is obtained which after addition of a pressing agent can be compacted and sintered according to standard practice.

Method of making metal composite materials

There is disclosed a method of producing, in large volumes and at low cost, Ta, Nb, Zr and Hf carbide, nitride or carbonitride whiskers, preferably submicron, having excellent reinforcing properties, suitable as reinforcement in a wide range of materials, including metals, intermetallics, plastics, ceramics and metallic bonded hard material. Oxides of Ta, Nb, Zr and Hf or alkali compounds thereof in an amount to satisfy the stoichiometric requirements of the desired carbide or nitride are mixed with the carbon source along with an alkali and/or alkali earth metal halogenide as a volatilization agent for the metal and a catalyst for the whisker growth such as Ni and/or Co. The reactant powders are blended in some typical manner using a high speed blender so as to intimately mix them. Finally, the starting material is subjected to nitriding, carbonizing or carbonitriding heat treatments in order to produce the desired whiskers.

Manufacture of transition metal carbide, nitride and carbonitride

There is disclosed a method of producing whiskers in large volumes and at low cost to be used as reinforcing material. The whiskers are solid solutions between two or more transition metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides, (Me.sub.1-X-Y.sub.Me'.sub.X+Y)C.sub.1-Z N.sub.Z, having preferably submicron diameters, where Me' is one or more transition metals other than Me. The whiskers are suitable for use as a reinforcement material in a wide range of materials, including metals, intermetallics, plastics, ceramics and metallic bonded hard material. Transition metal oxides, hydroxides or alkali compounds thereof are mixed with carbon powder. The carbon source is added in an amount to satisfy the stoichiometric requirements of the carbide or nitride. A halogenide salt is used as a volatilization agent for the transition metals and a catalyst such as Ni or Co that is able to dissolve transition metals plus C and/or N. The reactant powders are blended so as to intimately mix them. Finally, the mixed starting material is subjected to nitriding, carbonizing or carbonitriding heat treatments in order to produce the desired whiskers.

Manufacture of transition metal carbide, nitride, and carbonitride

A method wherein one or more metal salts of at least one iron group metal containing organic groups are dissolved and complex bound in at least one polar solvent with at least one complex former comprising functional groups in the form of OH or NR.sub.3, (RH.dbd.H or alkyl). Hard constituent powder and, optionally, a soluble carbon source are added to the solution. The solvent is evaporated and the remaining powder is heat treated in an inert and/or reducing atmosphere. As a result, coated hard constituent powder is obtained which after addition of a pressing agent can be compacted and sintered according to standard practice to a body containing hard constituents in a binder phase.

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Bromma, Sweden

Mats Nygren