Mondo Knows Facts
Shape memory alloys return to original shapes when heated
Nitinol metal remembers its manufactured form after severe physical deformation
Nitinol is a nickel-titanium alloy that exhibits shape memory properties due to reversible phase transitions in its crystal structure. Deforming nitinol at cool temperatures alters its martensite structure without breaking interatomic bonds. Heating the alloy above a critical transition temperature causes it to shift back to its rigid austenite structure, restoring its original shape.
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Tags: materials, nitinol, alloys
Shape memory alloys return to original shapes when heated: the short answers
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- Nitinol metal remembers its manufactured form after severe physical deformation. The figure is taken from US Department of Energy, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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