Nitinol Shape Memory Alloy Wire

Diameter: 1 mm, AF: 15-20°C

Nitinol is a shape memory alloy made up of nickel and titanium. It goes a phase transformational change in its crystal structure depending on changing temperatures. When it is cooled from its high temperature form called austenite to the low temperature one which is martensite form, it changes shape. Nitinol has several application areas. First, it is used as thermal and electrical actuators such as a sensor and actuator in thermal valves for fluidics or autofocus actuators in action cameras. This material also has widespread use in biomedicine. Nitinol is highly biocompatible so it is proper to use as medical material such as orthopedic implants, catheters, orthodontics for brackets and wires and neurovascular interventions such as stroke thrombolysis. It also has a significant role in medicine as stents. Its collapsed form is inserted into an artery or vein and with body temperature, it returns to its original shape and by this way improve blood flow. Furthermore, in structural engineering, superelastic nitinol is used in the construction of bridges and buildings. When concrete containing the nitinol wires is used in the construction, these wires can sense cracks and points out the cracks in macro sizes.