Titanium Nickel Alloy: Strength & Durability

[Mark carlyle]

TL;DR Summary

I’ve been doing some research on nitinol. I figured it could replace many of the steel components in cars. If the car were to crash my hypothesis is that with the right voltage let’s say about 70 degrees, would the car fix itself for the most part?

Also how bullet proof is it? I know it is a titanium nickel alloy so I’m guessing it may be strong with the titanium in it.

 

[phinds]

...the right voltage let’s say about 70 degrees ...

? Voltage is not measured in degrees

 

[Vanadium 50]

Also how bullet proof is it?

Is that a typical requirement for an automobile?

 

[anorlunda]

I could only find prices for wire on alibaba.com

Nitinol	$120/kg
Titanium	$15/kg
Aluminum	$1.2/kg
Steel	$0.45/kg

So, a rich man could make a concept car with novel materials/novel properties. NASA used it on a rover (https://newatlas.com/shape-memory-alloy-rover-wheel-nasa/52344/). But if your question is for production cars, it is far too expensive.

 

[Baluncore]

@Mark carlyle. Welcome to PF.

A sudden impact can heat a material as it deforms. Slow movement does not heat it fast enough to raise the temperature. Nitinol cannot be expected to offer any protection from a high energy collision, or the impact of a ballistic object.

If you manufacture a vehicle from nitinol using normal press equipment, it would change shape back to flat sheets when first parked in the sun. You would need to injection mold every nitinol component from molten alloy.

ABS and memory plastics have been considered and used for many years in vehicle manufacture. They are much less expensive and easier to form than nitinol.