Papers by Keyword: Superelasticity

Abstract: In this study, the effects of supereslasticity of Nitinol for self-expanding (SX) stents – Stent devices which are implanted into the blood vessels in order to restore blood flow in a diseased artery segment (narrowing of the blood vessel due to plaque build-up) and keep the artery open after angioplasty were considered and analyzed. To emphasize the unique properties of Nitinol as compared to other materials, this study was conducted to differentiate the behaviors of two types of stents which are made of Nititol and 316L stainless steel during implantation. Finite element analysis was used for simulation and modeling. The study results are expected to serve well the design of vessel stents.

Abstract: Using Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀ (at.%) single crystals the effects of crystals axis orientation and ageing at 673 K for 0.5 h in free state on superelasticity responses in compression are investigated. Ageing of these single crystals is found to result in strengthening of the high-temperature В2 phase and L1₀ martensite, twofold increasing of temperature interval of SE response and weakening of the orientation dependence and improving the cycle stability of superelasticity response. In [011]- and [123]-oriented single crystals the values of the stress hysteresis decrease a nearly threefold as compared to the quenched state. The combination of high-strength [001] crystal axis orientation and precipitation of coherent nanoscale particles leads to the best stability of SE response in aged Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀ single crystals.

Abstract: In the present study the effects of thermomechanical treatment on the stress-induced martensitic transformation and superelasticity of [001]-oriented Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇ (at.%) single crystals were investigated. It is shown that high-temperature superelasticity is observed up to 453 K in the as-grown Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇ single crystals. Thermomechanical treatment result in increasing of the martensite yield stress, and so the SE interval, which is observed up to 523 K.

Abstract: Superelastic biocompatible metallic materials Ti-22Nb-6Zr and Ti-22Nb-3Ta-3Zr (at %) were produced. Vacuum arc remelting (VAR) with manual control allowed to produce high‑purity alloys. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) results showed that one remelt was not enough to obtain homogeneous Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr ingot. Ti-Nb-Zr and Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr alloys were remelted 3 times and turned upside down after each remelting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with micro X‑ray spectral analysis showed that chemical composition of the alloys coincided with nominal chemical composition. SEM results also showed that the alloys were mostly homogeneous. Recommendations for optimization of VAR in terms of producing high-purity homogeneous superelastic titanium alloys were elaborated.

Abstract: Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate and to compare the deactivation force, deactivation length and superelasticity in horizontal and vertical directions of Nickel-titanium (NiTi) orthodontic archwires made by 3 different manufactures. Materials and methods: The archwires tested were NiTi-OR (Ormco), NiTi-GH (G&H) and NiTi-H (Highland) and were 0.016 x 0.022 inch² in cross-section and 25 mm in length. The study analysed load-deflection curves from three-point bending tests performed for each type of NiTi wire in vertical (occluso-gingival) direction (0.022” in horizontal dimension) and horizontal (bucco-lingual) direction (0.016” in vertical dimension) at oral temperature (37±10 ^oC). Statistical Analysis: Descriptive analysis and Kruskal Wallis test were performed to assess differences in deactivation force, deactivation length and superelasticity among the three brands. A p<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The deactivation forces ranked from low to high were NiTi-GH, NiTi-OR and NiTi-H, 2.09, 2.57 and 2.90 N, respectively in horizontal dimension (occluso-gingival direction) and 3.04, 3.54 and 3.62 N in vertical dimension (bucco-lingual direction), respectively. For the deactivation length, ranking from long to short were NiTi-GH, NiTi-OR and NiTi-H, 1.08, 1.02 and 0.63 mm in horizontal dimension and 1.63, 1.46 and 1.13 mm in vertical dimension, respectively. In regards to superelasticity, NiTi-OR showed the highest superelasticity, 15.37 in horizontal and 9.68 in vertical dimension, followed by NiTi-GH, 9.51 for horizontal and 6.40 for vertical dimension and NiTi-H, 4.12 for horizontal dimension and 2.96 for vertical dimension. Conclusion: Deactivation force was higher in vertical than horizontal dimension and deactivation length was longer in vertical than horizontal dimension. However, the superelasticity was higher in horizontal than vertical dimension, except NiTi-H. The high priced NiTi wire (NiTi-OR) had the most superelasticity following by medium (NiTi-GH) and low priced wires (NiTi H).

Abstract: The aim of this work is to understand the evolutions of the β₁ metastable austenite phase of a CuAlBe Shape Memory Alloy at macroscopic and microscopic scales under mechanical solicitation by neutron diffraction. The tensile specimen, taken in the raw material is subjected to superelastic cycles at room temperature on SMARTS diffractometer. Before loading, the mater ial is fully austenitic. During loading, after elastic deformation of austenite, phase transformation starts, martensite variants appear. The material follows a law of pseudo elastic behavior. At the end of the first mechanical cycle after unloading, the macroscopic curve does not fully return into its original point. A macroscopic deformation is observed. The evolution of first order microdeformations during mechanical cycles shows a large deformation of {400} plane family. This deformation is linked to the presence of <001> partial fibber characterizing the crystallographic texture of the material after elaboration. The FWHM of the (400) diffraction peak is also largely increased during loading. This increase is the signature of the generation of stacking faults during the transformation of β₁ metastable austenite into β₁ martensite.

Abstract: This study reports the effect of aging duration on the super-elastic response of Fe-30%Ni-18%Co-10.5%Al-2%Nb-0.15%B (at.%) poly-crystals in compression. The aging temperature was 600°C and the aging durations were 20h, 45h, 60h and 72h, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) were used in the work. The results show that with prolonging the aging duration, the super-elastic strain rises firstly and then descends. The super-elastic strain reaches the maximum 10.5% when the aging duration is 60h. The crisis stress for stress-induced martensite (σ_M) has no obvious changes, being about 250MPa when the aging duration is between 20h and 60h. But σ_M increases markedly when the aging duration prolongs to 72h. The hardness of the specimens changes in the same way as the superelastic strain, and reaches the maximum of 497HV₁₀ when the aging duration is 60h. During the aging process, two factors react. One is the decomposing and reducing in size of the undissolved phase (σ). The other is the formation of the precipitation phase (γ'). Nb can dissolve into the matrix phase (γ) adequately and promote the formation of γ'. The combination of the two factors improves the strength and superelasticity of the specimens till the over-aging arises corresponding to the 72h aging duration.

Abstract: In this study a plate form of Ti-50.7at.%Ni was subjected to solution annealing at 800°C and 900°C for one hour followed by ageing at 300°C and 400°C for 4 hours respectively in order to investigate the effect of solution annealing and low temperature ageing on the microstructures and superelastic behaviour. It was found that the formation of Ti₃Ni₄ precipitates on the samples aged at 300°C and 400°C influences superelasticity differently. Increasing the testing temperature up to 38°C generally increases the superelasticity of samples for all heat treatment conditions compared to those tested at 22°C, however the sample solution annealed at 900°C give better superelasticity at 22°C due to excessive plastic deformation at higher temperature.

Abstract: Superelastic NiTi SMA is the base of endodontic files. The flexibility of these instruments permits the preparation of root canals. Unfortunately the intracanal file separation can occur. To have a good idea of the mechanical behavior of these instruments, we propose in this study the finite elements simulations taking into account the real shape of root canals. This has been possible by using a well adapted model describing all the particularities of superelastic SMA and by using representative limit conditions.

Abstract: The Ti-21.8Nb-6Zr and Ti-19.7Nb-5.8Ta (at.%) shape memory alloys are thermomechanically treated by cold drawing and post-deformation annealing at 550-600°C forming a nanosubgrained structure in the β-phase. Cyclic mechanical testing using a “loading-unloading” mode with 2% tensile strain in each half-cycle reveals the non-perfect superelastic behavior of both alloys during the very first cycles of testing, which becomes perfect during further mechanocycling. The Young’s modulus of thermomechanically-treated alloys is low (about 45 GPa), and it decreases during mechanocycling (n=10 cycles) down to 25-35 GPa, approaching the Young’s modulus of cortical bone tissues. The Young’s modulus obtained in the 10th cycle is stable or changes only slightly during a further 40-day pause at room temperature and then during repeated mechanocycling. The residual strain per cycle, the transformation yield stress and the mechanical hysteresis decrease during mechanocycling. Subsequent to a 40-day pause at room temperature, they restore their initial values. Repeated mechanocycling is accompanied by a repeated decrease of these parameters.