Nickel/titanium/niobium shape memory alloy & article

• US 4,770,725 A
• Filed: 06/05/1987
• Issued: 09/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Metal Components, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Raychem Limited (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Simpson, John A., Duerig, Tom, Melton, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Yee, Deborah
• Application Number:
  US07/059,138
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 148/402, 148/421, 148/422, 148/426, 148/442, 420/425, 420/441, 420/417, 420/580
• US Class Current: 148/402
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 19/007 with a light metal (alkali metal Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs; earth alkali metal Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al Ga, Ge, Ti) or B, Si, Zr, Hf, Sc, Y, lanthanides, actinides, as the next major constituent

Abstract

Disclosed are a group of nickel/titanium/niobium alloys wherein the niobium varies from about 2.5 to 30 atomic percent. Also disclosed is an aritcle made from these nickel/titanium/niobium alloys.

Claims

1. A shape memory alloy, which has been thermo-mechanically treated to exhibit shape memory properties, comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 48 atomic percent titanium, 49.5 atomic percent nickel, and 2.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 37.5 atomic percent titanium, 32.5 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 33.7 atomic percent titanium, 36.3 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 45.5 atomic percent titanium, 52 atomic percent nickel, and 2.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -96°

C.

2. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 1, comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 41.32 atomic percent titanium, 38.68 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 38 atomic percent titanium, 42 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 44.64 atomic percent titanium, 50.86 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

3. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 1, comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phrase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 41.32 atomic percent titanium, 38.68 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 39 atomic percent titanium, 41 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 45.5 atomic percent titanium, 50 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

4. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 1, comprising nickel, titanium, niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 37.5 atomic percent titanium, 32.5 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium;

it third vertex at 33.7 atomic percent titanium, 36.3 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 44.64 atomic percent titanium, 50.86 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

5. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 1, which consists essentially of nickel, titanium and niobium.

6. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 4, which consists essentially of nickel, titanium and niobium.

7. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 2, which consists essentially of nickel, titanium and niobium.

8. A shape memory alloy as claimed in claim 3, which consists essentially of nickel, titanium and niobium.

9. A shape memory article comprising a shape memory alloy, which has been thermo-mechanically treated to exhibit shape memory properties, comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 48 atomic percent titanium, 49.5 atomic percent nickel, and 2.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 37.5 atomic percent titanium, 32.5 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 33.7 atomic percent titanium, 36.3 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 45.5 atomic percent titanium, 52 atomic percent nickel, and 2.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

10. A shape memory article as claimed in claim 9, comprising a shape memory alloy comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 37.5 atomic percent titanium, 32.5 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium;

it third vertex at 33.7 atomic percent titanium, 36.3 atomic percent nickel, and 30 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 44.64 atomic percent titanium, 50.86 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

11. A shape memory article as claimed in claim 9, comprising a shape memory alloy comprising nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 41.32 atomic percent titanium, 38.68 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 38 atomic percent titanium, 42 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 44.64 atomic percent titanium, 50.86 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherien said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

12. A shape memory article as claimed in claim 9, comprising a shape memory alloy nickel, titanium, and niobium within an area defined on a nickel, titanium, and niobium pseudo-binary phase diagram by a quadrilateral with its first vertex at 47.24 atomic percent titanium, 48.26 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium;

its second vertex at 41.32 atomic percent titanium, 38.68 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium;

its third vertex at 39 atomic percent titanium, 41 atomic percent nickel, and 20 atomic percent niobium; and

its fourth vertex at 45.5 atomic percent titanium, 50 atomic percent nickel, and 4.5 atomic percent niobium, wherein said shape memory alloy has an M_s temperature between about 30°

C. and -196°

C.

13. An article as claimed in claim 9, which is a coupling.