Nickel/titanium/copper shape memory alloy
AssigneeRaychem Corporation
InventorJohn D. Harrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Nickel/titanium alloys containing less than a stoichiometric quantity of titanium, which have a high austenitic yield strength and are capable of developing the property of shape memory at a temperature above 0.degree. C., may be stabilized by the addition of from 7.5 to 14 atomic percent copper. These stabilized alloys also possess improved workability and machinability.
Claims4
A shape memory alloy consisting essentially of nickel, titanium, and copper within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and copper ternary composition diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 42.5 atomic percent nickel, 50.0 atomic percent titanium, and 7.5 atomic percent copper;
- its second vertex at 36.0 atomic percent nickel, 50.0 atomic percent titanium, and 14.0 atomic percent copper;
- its third vertex at 41.5 atomic percent nickel, 44.5 atomic percent titanium, and 14.0 atomic percent copper, and its fourth vertex at 44.75 atomic percent nickel, 47.75 atomic percent titanium, and 7.5 atomic percent copper.
A shape memory alloy consisting essentially of nickel, titanium, and copper, said alloy being prepared by the electron-beam melting of a charge consisting essentially of nickel, titanium, and copper within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and copper ternary composition diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 42 atomic percent nickel, 49.5 atomic percent titanium, and 8.5 atomic percent copper;
- its second vertex at 35.5 atomic percent nickel, 49.5 atomic percent titanium, and 15 atomic percent copper;
- its third vertex at 41 atomic percent nickel, 44 atomic percent titanium, and 15 atomic percent copper, and its fourth vertex at 44.25 atomic percent nickel, 47.25 atomic percent titanium, and 8.5 atomic percent copper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.