A research team from Northeastern University of Japan has invented a super-light shape memory Mg-Sc alloy with a density of 70% of the previously common Nitinol memory alloy, which is expected to be used in aerospace and other fields. Shape memory alloy can completely eliminate its deformation at lower temperature after heating and restore its original state before deformation. Another unique property of this alloy is the "superelastic" effect occurring at a specific temperature, which shows that the restorable strain can be carried several times or even tens of times larger than that of ordinary metals. Shape memory alloy (SMA) is a typical nickel-titanium memory alloy, which is widely used in medical, architectural, aerospace and other fields.
The research team of Northeast University found that the new super-light Mg-Sc alloy not only has the hexagonal most dense stacking crystalline structure of the former magnesium alloys, but also forms a body-centered cubic structure, exhibiting superelastic characteristics at minus 150 degrees Celsius. In addition, the operation temperature of superelastic effect of Mg-Sc alloy can be changed by changing the content of Sc. This alloy has excellent elasticity and shape memory properties, and has a good balance in high strength and ductility.
So far, many kinds of shape memory alloys have been found, such as nickel-titanium, titanium and so on, but no ultra-light shape memory alloys with light elements such as magnesium have been found. The invention is hopeful to be applied in aerospace and other fields with high demand for light weight. Relevant research results have been published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Science.
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