A Novel Fabrication Method for Nitinol Shape Memory Alloys

Nitinol (NiTi) shape memory alloys are widely used in a variety of biomedical applications, such as dental implants, cervical and lumbar vertebral replacements, joint replacements and stents. In this study, commercially pure Ti and Ni foils ~100 um thick were diffusion bonded in vacuum. The experimental conditions were optimized to achieve a near equiatomic composition to produce NiTi SMA thin foil of approx. 5-8 micron thick. The cross-sectional surfaces of joint were subjected to metallographic investigation using optical microscope after grinding, polishing and etching. Scanning electron microscope equipped with EDX system was utilized to characterize the bonded layer and compositional analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique was employed to determine the shape memory effect. The samples were subjected to X-ray diffraction analysis in order to establish phase structures formed during the diffusion bonding stage. An ultra fast femto-second laser facility was utilized to ensure the production of complex shapes or patterns within micron scale.