Nitinol Copyright © 2012 Board of Trustees, University of Illinois. All rights reserved.
Objectives To investigate the unique properties of an alloy called Nitinol To design an experiment using Nitinol To understand the connection between Nitinol’s atomic structure and its physical characteristics To learn about Nitinol’s applications Images from www.memory-metalle.de/
Nanotechnology Some scientists and engineers develop smart materials
Smart materials Any material engineered at the nanoscale to perform specific tasks
Smart fabrics
Self-healing materials Studied and made at University of Illinois Can repair themselves Can be used in cell phones and other devices
How self-healing materials work Image from Sottos’ Nature article
Similar to epoxy
A smart alloy NiTiNOL Made of Nickel and Titanium at Naval Ordnance Laboratory
Nitinol—a smart material? Bend it Heat it What happens?
Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Nitinol is a “shape memory alloy” What does that mean? What is happening at the nanoscale?
Phases of matter Solid Liquid Gas strong bonds weak bonds no bonds Modified from a graphic found at http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/lectures/lec04.html
Martensite phase of Nitinol Lower temperature Very flexible Can easily be deformed (changed) Crop of graphic from http://mrsec.wisc.edu/EDETC/memmetal/index.html Modified fro ma graphic from http://mrsec.wisc.edu/EDETC/memmetal/index.html Deformed Martensite Martensite
Austenite phase of Nitinol Higher temperature Rigid Has defined shape Crop of graphic from http://mrsec.wisc.edu/EDETC/memmetal/index.html
Solid phases of Nitinol → heat Taken from http://mrsec.wisc.edu/EDETC/memmetal/index.html
What you observed
What happened at the atomic level Modified from graphics from www.nitinol.com/ 4applications.htm and www.nitinol.com/3tech.htm
Nitinol (Click on image to play.)
→ Other ways to heat it? heat Taken from http://mrsec.wisc.edu/EDETC/memmetal/index.html
Can you “retrain” it? Can you give Nitinol a new shape memory?
Properties of Nitinol Shape memory alloy Elastic Does not react with water or oxygen Can be used in the body
Austenite temperature Slight difference in ratio of Ni to Ti can change the temperature from -50°C to +95°C Engineered for different functions
How do you think Nitinol might be useful?
Medical applications Needles Orthodontic devices Guidewires Catheters Stents Stent picture from www.endovasc.com Catheter picture from http://www.mayoclinic.org/checkup-2005/images/pvd-catheter.jpg
Other applications
Summary Learned about Nitinol’s properties Heated it Found other ways of heating it Retrained it Learned about its applications