Manufacture of shape-memory alloy cellular materials and structures by transient-liquid reactive joining
US8465847B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/31678
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
This invention discloses a method, using pure niobium as a transient liquid reactive braze material, for fabrication of cellular or honeycomb structures, wire space-frames or other sparse builtup structures or discrete articles using Nitinol (near-equiatomic titanium-nickel alloy) and related shape-memory and superelastic alloys. Nitinol shape memory alloys (SMAs), acquired in a form such as corrugated sheet, discrete tubes or wires, may be joined together using the newly discovered joining technique. Pure niobium when brought into contact with nitinol at elevated temperature, liquefies at temperatures below the melting point and flows readily into capillary spaces between the elements to be joined, thus forming a strong joint.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.