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The Magical Shape-Memory Alloy—Nickel-Titanium Alloy

Release Date:

13 May,2022

The Magical Shape-Memory Alloy—Nickel-Titanium Alloy

Nickel-titanium alloy is a binary alloy composed of nickel and titanium. In addition to its unique shape memory function, it also possesses a series of excellent properties, making it a very outstanding functional material.
　　1. Shape memory characteristic. Nickel-titanium alloy can be deformed by external force at a certain temperature, and after removing the force, it can maintain the deformed shape, but at a higher temperature, it can automatically return to its original shape.
　　2. Superelasticity. The superelasticity of nickel-titanium alloy can change with heat treatment conditions. When nickel-titanium alloy wire is heated above 400°C, its superelasticity begins to decrease.
　　3. Corrosion resistance. Studies have shown that the corrosion resistance of nickel-titanium alloy is better than the best medical stainless steel currently available, so it is widely used in the medical field.
　　4. Biocompatibility. Although nickel has carcinogenic effects, the titanium dioxide on the surface of nickel-titanium alloy acts as a barrier, inhibiting the release of nickel, giving the alloy good biocompatibility.
　　5. Good shock absorption. The initial vibration amplitude of superelastic nickel-titanium alloy wire is only half that of stainless steel wire.
　　Applications of Nickel-Titanium Alloy
　　The series of excellent properties of nickel-titanium alloy have led to its wide application in aerospace, automotive industry, medical devices, and other fields.
　　1. Aerospace
　　Applications of nickel-titanium alloy in aerospace mainly include pipe joints on aircraft, as well as antennas, fasteners, connectors, electrical connections, and electromechanical actuators on spacecraft.
　　2. Automotive Industry
　　Nickel-titanium alloy is commonly used in automotive engine heat-resistant fan clutches, exhaust automatic adjustment nozzles, automatic switches for diesel engine radiator holes, and shape memory springs for jet engine oil filters.
　　3. Medical Devices
　　Nickel-titanium alloy has been successfully applied in dental orthodontics, surgical correction and plastic surgery, and minimally invasive cardiovascular interventions. It has also entered clinical trials for surgical sutures, cerebral aneurysm clips, contraceptive rings, artificial hearts, and micro-pumps for artificial kidneys.
　　4. Civil Products
　　Civil products mainly include superelastic eyeglass frames, mobile phone antennas, female bra supports, high elasticity and toughness fishing lines, and headphone headsets.