Nitinol finds application in the listed industrial applications

Overview of Nitinol Powder

Nickel titanium, also known as Nitinol, is a metal alloy of nickel and titanium, where the two elements are present in roughly equal atomic percentages. Different alloys are named according to the weight percentage of nickel; e.g., Nitinol 55 and Nitinol 60. It exhibits the shape memory effect and superelasticity at different temperatures.

Nitinol alloys exhibit two closely related and unique properties: the shape memory effect and superelasticity (also called pseudoelasticity). Shape memory is the ability of nitinol to undergo deformation at one temperature, stay in its deformed shape when the external force is removed, then recover its original, undeformed shape upon heating above its "transformation temperature". Superelasticity is the ability for the metal to undergo large deformations and immediately return to its undeformed shape upon removal of the external load. Nitinol can deform 10–30 times as much as ordinary metals and return to its original shape. Whether nitinol behaves with the shape memory effect or superelasticity depends on whether it is above the transformation temperature of the specific alloy. Below the transformation temperature it exhibits the shape memory effect, and above that temperature it behaves superelastically.

Applications of Nitinol Powder

In 1989 a survey was conducted in the United States and Canada that involved seven organizations. The survey focused on predicting the future technology, market, and applications of SMAs. The companies predicted the following uses of nitinol in a decreasing order of importance: (1) Couplings, (2) Biomedical and medical, (3) Toys, demonstration, novelty items, (4) Actuators, (5) Heat Engines, (6) Sensors, (7) Cryogenically activated die and bubble memory sockets, and finally (8) lifting devices.

nitinol finds application in the listed industrial applications:

一、Thermal and electrical actuators

Nitinol can be used to replace conventional actuators (solenoids, servo motors, etc.), such as in the Stiquito, a simple hexapod robot.

Nitinol springs are used in thermal valves for fluidics, where the material both acts as a temperature sensor and an actuator.

It is used as autofocus actuator in action cameras and as an Optical Image Stabilizer in mobile phones.

It is used in pneumatic valves for comfort seating and has become an industry standard.

二、Biocompatible and biomedical applications

Main article: Nitinol biocompatibility

Nitinol is highly biocompatible and has properties suitable for use in orthopedic implants. Due to Nitinol's unique properties it has seen a large demand for use in less invasive medical devices. Nitinol tubing is commonly used in catheters, stents, and superelastic needles.

In colorectal surgery, the material is used in devices for reconnecting the intestine after removing the pathogens.

Nitinol is used for devices developed to treat patent ductus arteriosus, blocking a blood vessel that bypasses the lungs and has failed to close after birth in an infant.

In dentistry, the material is used in ortho dontics for brackets and wires connecting the teeth. Once the SMA wire is placed in the mouth its temperature rises to ambient body temperature. This causes the nitinol to contract back to its original shape, applying a constant force to move the teeth. These SMA wires do not need to be retightened as often as other wires because they can contract as the teeth move unlike conventional stainless steel wires. Additionally, nitinol can be used in endodontics, where nitinol files are used to clean and shape the root canals during the root canal procedure. Because of the high fatigue tolerance and flexibility of nitinol, it greatly decreases the possibility of an endodontic file breaking inside the tooth during root canal treatment, thus improving safety for the patient.

Another significant application of nitinol in medicine is in stents: a collapsed stent can be inserted into an artery or vein, where body temperature warms the stent and the stent returns to its original expanded shape following removal of a constraining sheath; the stent then helps support the artery or vein to improve blood flow. It is also used as a replacement for sutures—nitinol wire can be woven through two structures then allowed to transform into its preformed shape, which should hold the structures in place.

Similarly, collapsible structures composed of braided, microscopically-thin nitinol filaments can be used in neurovascular interventions such as stroke thrombolysis, embolization, and intracranial angioplasty.

A more recent application of nitinol wire is in female contraception, specifically in intrauterine devices.

三、Damping systems in structural engineering

Superelastic Nitinol finds a variety of applications in civil structures such as bridges and buildings. One such application is Intelligent Reinforced Concrete (IRC), which incorporates Ni-Ti wires embedded within the concrete. These wires can sense cracks and contract to heal macro-sized cracks.

Another application is active tuning of structural natural frequency using Nitinol wires to damp vibrations.

四、Other applications and prototypes

Demonstration model heat engines have been built which use nitinol wire to produce mechanical energy from hot and cold heat sources.A prototype commercial engine developed in the 1970s by engineer Ridgway Banks at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was named the Banks Engine.

Nitinol is also popular in extremely resilient glasses frames.It is also used in some mechanical watch springs.

Boeing engineers successfully flight-tested SMA-actuated morphing chevrons on the Boeing 777-300ER Quiet Technology Demonstrator 2.

The Ford Motor Company has registered a US patent for what it calls a ‘bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed’. Filed on 22 April 2019, the patent depicts a front derailleur for a bicycle, devoid of cables, instead using two Nitinol wires to provide the movement needed to shift gears.

It can be used as a temperature control system; as it changes shape, it can activate a switch or a variable resistor to control the temperature.

It has been used in cell-phone technology as a retractable antenna, or microphone boom, due to its highly flexible and mechanical memory nature.

It is used to make certain surgical implants, such as the SmartToe.

It is used in some novelty products, such as self-bending spoons which can be used by amateur and stage magicians to demonstrate "psychic" powers or as a practical joke, as the spoon will bend itself when used to stir tea, coffee, or any other warm liquid.

It can also be used as wires which are used to locate and mark breast tumours so that the following surgery can be more exact.

Due to the high damping capacity of Superelastic nitinol, it is also used as a golf club insert.

Nickel titanium can be used to make the underwires for underwire bras.

It is used in some actuation-bending devices, such as those developed by Finnish technology company Modti Inc.

It is used in the neckbands of several headphones due to its superelasticity and durability.

It is being increasingly used for wire stemmed fishing floats due to its superelasticity.

Nitinol powder price

The price of Nitinol powders will vary randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate and supply and demand of nickel-titanium alloy powder in the nickel-titanium alloy powder market. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full range of customized services. If you are looking for Nitinol powder, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest Nitinol powder price.

Supplier of Nitinol Powder

As a global supplier of Nitinol powders, Tanki New Materials Ltd. has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced and engineered materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (including water-based stearic acid emulsion, water-based calcium stearate, zinc stearate, etc.), high-purity target materials, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provides OEM services.