Titanium capillary tubes are high-performance metal tubing, typically referring to thin-walled titanium tubes with an outer diameter of less than 2 mm, or even as thin as a fraction of a millimeter. Due to their unique combination of properties, they play an irreplaceable role in many high-tech and precision fields. Similar to tantalum, titanium can form a dense oxide film, exhibiting excellent resistance to most acids, alkalis, and salt solutions, especially chloride ions (such as seawater and brine). This is one of its core advantages. Titanium is a recognized bio-friendly material, non-toxic and non-allergenic to human tissues, and not corroded by bodily fluids. This allows it to be used directly inside the human body.
They have extremely high specific strength (strength/density), allowing for extremely small and lightweight designs while meeting strength requirements. As "capillaries," their extremely small inner diameter and precise dimensional control allow for the passage of minute fluids or serve as channels for precision components. Despite their high strength, pure titanium (such as Gr1 and Gr2) possesses good plasticity, allowing it to be bent and coiled into desired shapes. Titanium capillaries are used in the manufacture of microcatheters to deliver drugs, embolic agents, or devices to tiny blood vessels deep within the brain, heart, and other organs. They are used in insulin pumps, analgesic pumps, and other devices to precisely control the delivery of minute amounts of medication. They also serve as internal channels or structural supports for medical devices.
The mainstream manufacturing process is as follows: Raw materials (titanium ingot) → Forging → Hot rolling → Cold rolling → Intermediate annealing (stress relief) → Precision drawing → Finished product annealing → Pickling and polishing (surface optimization) → Quality inspection (dimensions, wall thickness, pressure resistance) → Packaging. During processing, the annealing temperature (typically 500-700℃) and drawing speed must be controlled to prevent deformation or cracking of the tube. After surface treatment, the inner wall must be burr-free and meet cleanliness standards. Titanium alloy capillaries are small-diameter tubular materials made of titanium alloy and are widely used in aerospace, medical, and other fields.
Titanium alloy capillary tubes possess high strength; for example, grade 5 titanium alloy capillary tubes can achieve a tensile strength of 880-980 MPa. They also exhibit good toughness and ductility, allowing them to withstand bending and tensile deformations to a certain extent without cracking. Titanium alloys have excellent corrosion resistance, performing exceptionally well in acidic, alkaline, and saline solutions, as well as in humid and hot environments, maintaining the integrity and performance stability of the tube over a long period. Titanium alloy capillary tubes have a low density, typically around 4.4-4.5 g/cm3, significantly lighter than steel, which helps reduce equipment weight. They also exhibit good thermal stability with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, maintaining good dimensional stability even in environments with significant temperature variations. The production of titanium alloy capillary tubes typically involves raw material preparation, smelting, forging, rolling, drawing, and heat treatment. First, the titanium alloy raw material is smelted into ingots. Then, the ingots are processed into tube blanks through forging and rolling processes. Finally, multiple drawing passes are used to gradually reduce the tube diameter to achieve the required dimensions. Intermediate annealing is performed during the drawing process to eliminate processing stress. Finally, the finished product undergoes heat treatment and surface treatment according to usage requirements.
