What is the difference between Superelastic and Shape Memory Nitinol?

 

Superelasticity is a phenomenon when Nitinol gets back to its previous shape and it is very hard to deform. It behaves almost like spring steel. Nitinol is superelastic in two cases:

- if it has temperature slightly over the activation temperature

- if it is a raw never annealed Nitinol

Nitinol with shape memory could be easily deformed under the activation temperature. It behaves almost like a tin wire with one difference - it can't be bend to too acute angles

 

XOT manufactures nitinol wire (nickel titanium alloy wire) from various grades of nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol) commonly used in medical applications as well for other various applications. Medical grade Nitinol material comprises nickel and titanium in nearly equal atomic weight percentages; per ASTM F2063, a nickel content of 54.5-57 wt% is specified for using in surgical implants. Nitinol (nickel titanium  alloy) with different compositions and phase transformation temperature can be used for other applications.