Determination of the Effect of TiN Coating on Self-Fitting Properties of Dental Implants Made of NiTi Alloy

Design and material research continues to increase dental implants' success rates, which is a widely applied treatment type. The size and morphology of the implant-bone interface are essential for implant stability. Our study produced a dental implant with two artificial tooth roots from NiTi alloy to increase the implant-bone contact surface. The properties of NiTi alloy, such as transformation temperature and composition, were determined by material characterization tests. Using NiTi alloy's shape memory effect, these artificial roots at body temperature were programmed with appropriate heat treatments for the self-fitting feature. Dental-implant-like models are coated with TiN to prevent Ni ion release. The corrosion tests were performed in Ringer's solution to determine the effect of TiN coating on Ni ion release. The nickel ion emission values showed that the TiN coating inhibited the release. In addition, it was determined that the TiN coating increased the shape memory transformation time of the NiTi alloy. In in vitro tests of NiTi and TiN-coated NiTi implants, it was observed that they completed self-fitting by deforming the trabecular bone, but the placement in the cortical bone was not complete. During the use of a shape memory implant, it should complete its transformation without contacting the cortical bone and should not cause a stress concentration.

Domain Structure, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polycaprolactone-Based Multiblock Polyurethane-Ureas under Control of Hard and Soft Segment Lengths

A series of multiblock polyurethane-ureas (PUU) based on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) with a molecular mass of 530 or 2000 g/mol, as well as hard segments of different lengths and structures, were synthesized by the step-growth polymerization method. The chemical structure of the synthesized multiblock copolymers was confirmed by IR- and NMR-spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were used to determine the relaxation and phase transition temperatures for the entire series of the obtained PUU. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) method made it possible to identify PUU compositions in which the crystallizability of soft segments (SS) is manifested due to their sufficient length for self-organization and structuring. Visualization of the crystal structure and disordering of the stacking of SS with an increase in their molecular mobility during heating are shown using optical microscopy. The change in the size of the hard phase domains and the value of the interdomain distance depending on the PCL molecular mass, as well as the length and structure of the hard block in the synthesized PUU, were analyzed using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The evolution of the domain structure upon passing through the melting and crystallization temperatures of PUU soft blocks was studied using SANS. The studies carried out made it possible to reveal the main correlations between the chemical structure of the synthesized PUU and their supramolecular organization as well as thermal and mechanical properties.

The role of NiTi shape memory alloys in quality of life improvement through medical advancements: A comprehensive review

The significance of advanced smart materials in recent technological research and advancement is apparent from its extensive use in present day devices and instruments. Of the various smart materials in use today, the fascinating category of shape memory alloys (SMAs) is equipped with the ability to return to a previously memorized shape under certain thermomechanical or magnetic stimuli. The unique property of shape memory effect and superelasticity displayed by these materials along with good biocompatibility and corrosion resistance make them ideal for biomedical applications. The various applications of SMAs in surgical instruments, surgical implants, and assistive and rehabilitative devices have significant effect on the day to day life of people in the present age. Majority of these biomedical devices belong to the orthodontic, orthopedic, or surgical fields. Other remarkable applications of SMAs such as in the production of prostheses and orthoses designed through the biomimetic approach are also highly influential in improving the quality of life. The present paper provides an overview of the various properties of shape memory alloys and their applications in the biomedical field over the years, that have had a significant impact on the realm of medical science.

Structural-Functional Changes in a Ti50Ni45Cu5 Alloy Caused by Training Procedures Based on Free-Recovery and Work-Generating Shape Memory Effect

Active elements made of Ti₅₀Ni₄₅Cu₅ shape memory alloy (SMA) were martensitic at room temperature (RT) after hot rolling with instant water quenching. These pristine specimens were subjected to two thermomechanical training procedures consisting of (i) free recovery shape memory effect (FR-SME) and (ii) work generating shape memory effect (WG-SME) under constant stress as well as dynamic bending and RT static tensile testing (TENS). The structural-functional changes, caused by the two training procedures as well as TENS were investigated by various experimental techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fragments cut from the active regions of trained specimens or from the elongated gauges of TENS specimens were analyzed by DSC, XRD, and AFM. The DSC thermograms revealed the shift in critical transformation temperatures and a diminution in specific absorbed enthalpy as an effect of training cycles. The DMA thermograms of pristine specimens emphasized a change of storage modulus variation during heating after the application of isothermal dynamical bending at RT. The XRD patterns and AMF micrographs disclosed the different evolution of martensite plate variants as an effect of FR-SME cycling and of being elongated upon convex surfaces or compressed upon concave surfaces of bent specimens. For illustrative reasons, the evolution of unit cell parameters of B19′ martensite, as a function of the number of cycles of FR-SME training, upon concave regions was discussed. AFM micrographs emphasized wider and shallower martensite plates on the convex region as compared to the concave one. With increasing the number of FR-SME training cycles, plates’ heights decreased by 84–87%. The results suggest that FR-SME training caused marked decreases in martensite plate dimensions, which engendered a decrease in specific absorbed enthalpy during martensite reversion.

DMA Investigation of the Factors Influencing the Glass Transition in 3D Printed Specimens of Shape Memory Recycled PET

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used worldwide for packing, and for this reason, it is the main material in plastic waste. The paper uses granules of recycled PET (R-PET) as raw material for producing filaments for 3D printing, subsequently used for printing the test specimens in different ways: longitudinally and at angles between 10° and 40° in this direction. Both the filaments and the printed specimens experience thermally driven shape memory effect (SME) since they have been able to recover their straight shape during heating, after being bent to a certain angle, at room temperature (RT). SME could be reproduced three times, in the case of printed specimens, and was investigated by cinematographic analysis. Then, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used, in R-PET granules, filaments and 3D printed specimens, to emphasize the existence of glass transition, which represents the governing mechanism of SME occurrence in thermoplastic polymers, as well as a recrystallization reaction. Subsequently, the paper investigated the 3D printed specimens by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) using a dual cantilever specimen holder. Temperature (DMA-TS) and isothermal scans (DMA-Izo) were performed, with the aim to discuss the variations of storage modulus and loss modulus with temperature and time, respectively.

Room-Temperature Solid-State UV Cross-Linkable Vitrimer-like Polymers for Additive Manufacturing

In this paper, a UV cross-linkable vitrimer-like polymer, ureidopyrimidinone functionalized telechelic polybutadiene, is reported. It is synthesized in two steps. First, 2(6-isocyanatohexylaminocarbonylamino)-6-methyl-4[1H]-pyrimidinone (UPy-NCO) reacts with hydroxy-functionalized polybutadiene (HTPB) to obtain UPy-HTPB-UPy, and then the resulted UPy-HTPB-UPy is cross-linked under 365 nm UV light (photo-initiator: bimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, DMPA). Further investigation reveals that the density of cross-linking and mechanical properties of the resulting polymers can be tailored via varying the amount of photo-initiator and UV exposure time. Before UV cross-linking, UPy-HTPB-UPy is found to be vitrimer-like due to the quadruple hydrogen-bonding interactions. The UPy groups at the end of the chain also enable for rapid solidification upon the evaporation of the solvent. The unsaturated double bonds in the HTPB chains enable UPy-HTPB-UPy to be UV cross-linkable in the solid state at room temperature. After cross-linking, the polymers have good shape memory effect (SME). Here, we demonstrate that this type of polymer can have many potential applications in additive manufacturing. In the cases of fused deposition modelling (FDM) and direct ink writing (DIW), not only the strength of the interlayer bonding but also the strength of the polymer itself can be enhanced via UV exposure (from thermoplastic to thermoset) either during printing or after printing. The SME after cross-linking further helps to achieve rapid volumetric additive manufacturing anytime and anywhere.

Engineering a Mechanoactive Fibrous Substrate with Enhanced Efficiency in Regulating Stem Cell Tenodifferentiation

Electrospun-aligned fibers in ultrathin fineness have previously demonstrated a limited capacity in driving stem cells to differentiate into tendon-like cells. In view of the tendon's mechanoactive nature, endowing such aligned fibrous structure with mechanoactivity to exert in situ mechanical stimulus by itself, namely, without any forces externally applied, is likely to potentiate its efficiency of tenogenic induction. To test this hypothesis, in this study, a shape-memory-capable poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) copolymer was electrospun into aligned fibrous form followed by a "stretching-recovery" shape-programming procedure to impart shape memory capability. Thereafter, in the absence of tenogenic supplements, human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were cultured on the programmed fibrous substrates for a duration of 7 days, and the effects of constrained recovery resultant stress-stiffening on cell morphology, proliferation, and tenogenic differentiation were examined. The results indicate that the in situ enacted mechanical stimulus due to shape memory effect (SME) did not have adverse influence on cell viability and proliferation, but significantly promoted cellular elongation along the direction of fiber alignment. Moreover, it revealed that tendon-specific protein markers such as tenomodulin (TNMD) and tenascin-C (TNC) and gene expression of scleraxis (SCX), TNMD, TNC, and collagen I (COL I) were significantly upregulated on the mechanoactive fibrous substrate with higher recovery stress compared to the counterparts. Mechanistically, the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway was identified to be involved in the substrate self-actuation-induced enhancement in tenodifferentiation. Together, these results suggest that constrained shape recovery stress may be employed as an innovative loading modality to regulate the stem cell tenodifferentiation by presenting the fibrous substrate with an aligned tendon-like topographical cue and an additional mechanoactivity. This newly demonstrated paradigm in modulating stem cell tenodifferentiation may improve the efficacy of tendon tissue engineering strategy for tendon healing and regeneration.

Iron-Based Shape Memory Alloys in Construction: Research, Applications and Opportunities

As a promising candidate in the construction industry, iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) has attracted lots of attention in the engineering and metallography communities because of its foreseeable benefits including corrosion resistance, shape recovery capability, excellent plastic deformability, and outstanding fatigue resistance. Pilot applications have proved the feasibility of Fe-SMA as a highly efficient functional material in the construction sector. This paper provides a review of recent developments in research and design practice related to Fe-SMA. The basic mechanical properties are presented and compared with conventional structural steel, and some necessary explanations are given on the metallographic transformation mechanism. Newly emerged applications, such as Fe-SMA-based prestressing/strengthening techniques and seismic-resistant components/devices, are discussed. It is believed that Fe-SMA offers a wide range of applications in the construction industry but there still remains problems to be addressed and areas to be further explored. Some research needs at material-level, component-level, and system-level are highlighted in this paper. With the systematic information provided, this paper not only benefits professionals and researchers who have been working in this area for a long time and wanting to gain an in-depth understanding of the state-of-the-art, but also helps enlighten a wider audience intending to get acquainted with this exciting topic.

Smart Diffraction Gratings based on the Shape Memory Effect

The shape memory effect is the capability of a structure or a material that can be deformed into a certain temporary shape under the external stimulus, and the shape will be fixed without the stimulus. The recovery process can be triggered by the same stimulus. The intelligent tunable device based on the shape memory effect has a wide range of applications in many fields. In the optical field, smart diffraction gratings can accomplish in-situ optical diffraction according to requirements, meeting the high demand in the next generation of smart optical systems. However, it is essential to construct high-precision grating structures based on shape memory materials. Here, a smart diffraction grating based on UV-curable shape memory polymer via two-beam interference is reported, with nano-scale precision, excellent deformability and recovery ability and adjustable spectroscopic performance. More importantly, based on the shape memory effect, grating structures that surpass the precision of the fabrication system can be obtained. The smart grating exhibits rapid deformation and recovery upon heating and long-term storage capability, which facilitates them to be applied in optics, electronics and integrated sensing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Correction of pectus excavatum and long-term outcome in adult]

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest malformation characterized by symmetrical or asymmetric depression of the chest with deformation of the sternocostal complex. Pectus excavatum is often associated with other dysplastic diseases of connective tissue. Ravitch thoracoplasty and Nuss minimally invasive correction are the most common today. The authors report surgical correction of PE in a 50-years-old male who underwent Ravitch modified thoracoplasty with implantation of shape memory plate. Long-term treatment outcomes and technical properties of the plate after removing are analyzed.

Achievement of Room Temperature Superelasticity in Ti-Mo-Al Alloy System via Manipulation of ω Phase Stability

The achievement of room-temperature (RT) superelasticity in a Ti-Mo-Al ternary alloy system through the addition of a relatively high concentration of Al to manipulate the phase stability of the ω phase is realized in this study. The composition of the Ti-6 mol% Mo (Ti-11.34 mass% Mo) alloy was designated as the starting alloy, while 5 mol% Al (=2.71 mass% Al) and 10 mol% Al (=5.54 mass% Al) were introduced to promote their superelastic behavior. Among the alloys, Ti-6 mol% Mo-10 mol% Al alloy, which was investigated for the very first time in this work, performed the best in terms of superelasticity. On the other hand, Ti-6 mol% Mo and Ti-6 mol% Mo-5 mol% Al alloys exhibited a shape memory effect upon heating. It is worth mentioning that in the transmission electron microscopy observation, ω phase, which appeared along with β-parent phase, was significantly suppressed as Al concentration was elevated up to 10 mol%. Therefore, the conventional difficulties of the inhibited RT superelasticity were successfully revealed by regulating the number density of the ω phase below a threshold.

Reconfigurable Surface Micropatterns Based on the Magnetic Field-Induced Shape Memory Effect in Magnetoactive Elastomers

A surface relief grating with a period of 30 µm is embossed onto the surface of magnetoactive elastomer (MAE) samples in the presence of a moderate magnetic field of about 180 mT. The grating, which is represented as a set of parallel stripes with two different amplitude reflectivity coefficients, is detected via diffraction of a laser beam in the reflection configuration. Due to the magnetic-field-induced plasticity effect, the grating persists on the MAE surface for at least 90 h if the magnetic field remains present. When the magnetic field is removed, the diffraction efficiency vanishes in a few minutes. The described effect is much more pronounced in MAE samples with larger content of iron filler (80 wt%) than in the samples with lower content of iron filler (70 wt%). A simple theoretical model is proposed to describe the observed dependence of the diffraction efficiency on the applied magnetic field. Possible applications of MAEs as magnetically reconfigurable diffractive optical elements are discussed. It is proposed that the described experimental method can be used as a convenient tool for investigations of the dynamics of magnetically induced plasticity of MAEs on the micrometer scale.

Transport properties of Heusler compounds and alloys

Heusler compounds are a large group of intermetallic compositions with versatile material properties. In recent times, they are found to be important for their practical applications in the fields of spintronics and shape memory effect. Interestingly, their physical properties can be easily tuned by varying the valence electron concentration through proper doping and substitution. Empirical laws concerning the valence electron concentration, such as Slater-Pauling or Hume-Rothery rules are found to be useful in predicting their electronic, magnetic and structural properties quite accurately. Electrical transport measurements are simple laboratory-based techniques to gather a handful of information on the electronic properties of metals and semiconductors. The present review aimed to provide a comprehensive view of the transport in 3dand 4dtransition metal-based bulk Heusler compositions. The main emphasis is given on resistivity, magnetoresistance, Hall effect, thermopower and spin-dependent transport in spintronics devices. The review primarily focuses on magnetic Heusler compounds and alloys, albeit it also addresses several non-magnetic materials showing superconductivity or large thermopower.

Investigations of Effects of Intermetallic Compound on the Mechanical Properties and Shape Memory Effect of Ti-Au-Ta Biomaterials

Owing to the world population aging, biomedical materials, such as shape memory alloys (SMAs) have attracted much attention. The biocompatible Ti-Au-Ta SMAs, which also possess high X-ray contrast for the applications like guidewire utilized in surgery, were studied in this work. The alloys were successfully prepared by physical metallurgy techniques and the phase constituents, microstructures, chemical compositions, shape memory effect (SME), and superelasticity (SE) of the Ti-Au-Ta SMAs were also examined. The functionalities, such as SME, were revealed by the introduction of the third element Ta; in addition, obvious improvements of the alloy performances of the ternary Ti-Au-Ta alloys were confirmed while compared with that of the binary Ti-Au alloy. The Ti₃Au intermetallic compound was both found crystallographically and metallographically in the Ti-4 at.% Au-30 at.% Ta alloy. The strength of the alloy was promoted by the precipitates of the Ti₃Au intermetallic compound. The effects of the Ti₃Au precipitates on the mechanical properties, SME, and SE were also investigated in this work. Slight shape recovery was found in the Ti-4 at.% Au-20 at.% Ta alloy during unloading of an externally applied stress.

High-Temperature-Induced Shape Memory Copolyimide

A series of polyimide (PI) films with a high-temperature-induced shape memory effect and tunable properties were prepared via the facile random copolymerization of 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA) with 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropyl)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) and 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA). The trigger temperature can be controlled from 294 to 326 °C by adjusting the ratio of monomers. The effects of monomer rigidity on the chain mobility, physical properties, and shape memory performance of as-prepared copolyimide were systematically investigated. The introduction of ODPA could enhance the mobility of PI macromolecular chains, which made chain entanglement more likely to occur and increased the physical crosslinking density, thereby improving the PI's shape recovery up to 97%. Meanwhile, the existence of 6FDA enabled PI films to set quickly at low temperatures with a shape fixation of 98%. The shape memory cycling characteristics of the polyimide films are also studied, and the relationship between the PI chemical structure and the film properties are further discussed.

Shape memory effect nanotools for nano-creation: examples of nanowire-based devices with charge density waves

Nanotweezers based on the shape memory effect have been developed and tested. In combination with a commercial nanomanipulator, they allow 3D nanoscale operation controlled in a scanning electron microscope. Here we apply the tweezers for the fabrication of nanostructures based on whiskers of NbS₃, a quasi one-dimensional compound with room-temperature charge density wave (CDW). The nanowhiskers were separated without damage from the growth batch, an entangled array, and safely transferred to a substrate with a preliminary deposited Au film. The contacts were fabricated with Pt sputtering on top of the whisker and the film. The high degree of synchronization of the sliding CDW under a RF field with a frequency up to 600 MHz confirms the high quality of the contacts and of the sample structure after the manipulations. The proposed technique paves the way to novel type micro- and nanostructures fabrication and their various applications.

Research Status and Prospect of Additive Manufactured Nickel-Titanium Shape Memory Alloys

Nickel-titanium alloys have been widely used in biomedical, aerospace and other fields due to their shape memory effect, superelastic effect, as well as biocompatible and elasto-thermal properties. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology can form complex and fine structures, which greatly expands the application range of Ni-Ti alloy. In this study, the development trend of additive manufactured Ni-Ti alloy was analyzed. Subsequently, the most widely used selective laser melting (SLM) process for forming Ni-Ti alloy was summarized. Especially, the relationship between Ni-Ti alloy materials, SLM processing parameters, microstructure and properties of Ni-Ti alloy formed by SLM was revealed. The research status of Ni-Ti alloy formed by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), electron beam melting (EBM), directional energy dedication (DED), selective laser sintering (SLS) and other AM processes was briefly described, and its mechanical properties were emphatically expounded. Finally, several suggestions concerning Ni-Ti alloy material preparation, structure design, forming technology and forming equipment in the future were put forward in order to accelerate the engineering application process of additive manufactured Ni-Ti alloy. This study provides a useful reference for scientific research and engineering application of additive manufactured Ni-Ti alloys.

Stimulus-Responsive Shrinkage in Electrospun Membranes: Fundamentals and Control

Shrinkage is observed in many electrospun membranes. The stretched conformation of the macromolecular chains has been proposed as the possible cause. However, so far, our understanding of the fundamentals is still qualitative and cannot provide much help in the shrinkage control. In this paper, based on the crimped fibers after stimulus-induced shrinkage, a clear evidence of buckling, the gradient pre-strain field in the cross-section of the electrospun fibers, which is the result of a gradient solidification field and a tensile force in the fibers during electrospinning, is identified as the underlying mechanism for the stimulus-induced shrinkage. Subsequently, two buckling conditions are derived. Subsequently, a series of experiments are carried out to reveal the influence of four typical processing parameters (namely, the applied voltage, solution concentration, distance between electrodes, and rotation speed of collector), which are highly relevant to the formation of the gradient pre-strain field. It is concluded that there are some different ways to achieve the required shrinkage ratios in two in-plane directions (i.e., the rotational and transverse directions of the roller collector). Some of the combinations of these parameters are more effective at achieving high uniformity than others. Hence, it is possible to optimize the processing parameters to produce high-quality membranes with well-controlled shrinkage in both in-plane directions.

Effect of Sm Doping on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Shape Memory Effect of Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni Alloy

The effects of rare earth element Sm on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and shape memory effect of the high temperature shape memory alloy, Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-xSm (x = 0, 0.2 and 0.5) (wt.%), are studied in this work. The results show that the Sm addition reduces the grain size of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni alloy from millimeters to hundreds of microns. The microstructure of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-xSm alloys are composed of 18R and a face-centered cubic Sm-rich phase at room temperature. In addition, because the addition of the Sm element enhances the fine-grain strengthening effect, the mechanical properties and the shape memory effect of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni alloy were greatly improved. When x = 0.5, the compressive fracture stress and the compressive fracture strain increased from 580 MPa, 10.5% to 1021 MPa, 14.8%, respectively. When the pre-strain is 10%, a reversible strain of 6.3% can be obtained for the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-0.2Sm alloy.

Principles for Controlling the Shape Recovery and Degradation Behavior of Biodegradable Shape-Memory Polymers in Biomedical Applications

Polymers with the shape memory effect possess tremendous potential for application in diverse fields, including aerospace, textiles, robotics, and biomedicine, because of their mechanical properties (softness and flexibility) and chemical tunability. Biodegradable shape memory polymers (BSMPs) have unique benefits of long-term biocompatibility and formation of zero-waste byproducts as the final degradable products are resorbed or absorbed via metabolism or enzyme digestion processes. In addition to their application toward the prevention of biofilm formation or internal tissue damage caused by permanent implant materials and the subsequent need for secondary surgery, which causes secondary infections and complications, BSMPs have been highlighted for minimally invasive medical applications. The properties of BSMPs, including high tunability, thermomechanical properties, shape memory performance, and degradation rate, can be achieved by controlling the combination and content of the comonomer and crystallinity. In addition, the biodegradable chemistry and kinetics of BSMPs, which can be controlled by combining several biodegradable polymers with different hydrolysis chemistry products, such as anhydrides, esters, and carbonates, strongly affect the hydrolytic activity and erosion property. A wide range of applications including self-expending stents, wound closure, drug release systems, and tissue repair, suggests that the BSMPs can be applied as actuators on the basis of their shape recovery and degradation ability.

Parameter Identification and Validation of Shape-Memory Polymers within the Framework of Finite Strain Viscoelasticity

Shape-Memory Polymers (SMPs) can be stretched to large deformations and recover induced strains when exposed to an appropriate stimulus, such as heat. This emerging class of functional polymers has attracted much interest and found applications in medicine and engineering. Nevertheless, prior to any application, their physical and mechanical properties must be thoroughly studied and understood in order to make predictions or to design structures thereof. In this contribution, the viscoelastic behavior of a polyether-based polyurethane (Estane) and its rate- and temperature-dependent behavior have been studied experimentally and by the mean of simulations. The model-inherent material parameters are identified with the assumption of the thermo-rheological complexity. Here, the numerical results of uni-axial stress relaxations were compared with the associated experiments in conjucation with the Levenberg-Marquard optimization method to determine the parameters of the Prony equation. The ability of the model to simulate the thermo-mechanical properties of Estane was evaluated by data-rich experimental observations on tension and torsion in various temperature ranges. Heterogeneous tests are included into the experimental program to cover a broader spectrum of loading scenarios.

Tuning the Structural Flexibility for Multi-Responsive Gas Sorption in Isonicotinate-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks

Flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are of high interest as smart programmable materials for gas sorption due to their unique structural changes triggered by external stimuli. Owing to this property, which leads to opportunities such as maximizing deliverable gas capacity, flexible MOFs sometimes offer more advantages in sorption applications compared to their more rigid counterparts. Herein, we elucidate the effect of transition metal identity of a series of isonicotinate-based flexible MOFs, M(4-PyC)₂ [M═Mg, Mn, and Cu; 4-PyC = 4-pyridine carboxylic acid] on the structural dynamic response to different gases (C₂H₄, C₂H₆, Xe, Kr, and SO₂). Isotherms at different temperatures show that C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and Xe can form sufficiently strong interactions with both Mg(4-PyC)₂ and Mn(4-PyC)₂ frameworks resulting in gate-opening behavior due to the rotation of the linker's pyridine ring, while Kr cannot induce this phenomenon for the two MOFs under the measured conditions. In contrast, the gate-opening behavior occurs for Cu(4-PyC)₂ solely in the presence of C₂H₄, and no other measured gas, due to the open metal sites of Cu centers. In comparison, SO₂, a strong polar molecule, triggers the gate-opening effect in all three MOFs. Interestingly, a shape memory effect is observed for Cu(4-PyC)₂ during the second SO₂ sorption cycle. When comparing the different gate-opening pressures of each gas, we observed that the structural flexibility of the three frameworks is highly sensitive to the chemical hardness of the Lewis acidic metal ions (Mg²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Cu²⁺). As a result, the gate opening behavior is observed at lower pressures for the MOFs containing weaker M-N bonds (harder metal ions), with the exception of Cu(4-PyC)₂ toward C₂H₄. These observations reveal that different transition metals can be used to finely control the structural flexibility of the frameworks.

An Intelligent Fire-Protection Coating Based on Ammonium Polyphosphate/Epoxy Composites and Laser-Induced Graphene

Fire-protection coatings with a self-monitoring ability play a critical role in safety and security. An intelligent fire-protection coating can protect humans from personal and property damage. In this work, we report the fabrication of a low-cost and facile intelligent fire coating based on a composite of ammonium polyphosphate and epoxy (APP/EP). The composite was processed using laser scribing, which led to a laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer on the APP/EP surface via a photothermal effect. The C–O, C=O, P–O, and N−C bonds in the flame-retardant APP/EP composite were broken during the laser scribing, while the remaining carbon atoms recombined to generate the graphene layer. A proof-of-concept was achieved by demonstrating the use of LIG in supercapacitors, as a temperature sensor, and as a hazard detection device based on the shape memory effect of the APP/EP composite. The intelligent flame protection coating had a high flame retardancy, which increased the time to ignition (TTI) from 21 s to 57 s, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value increased to 37%. The total amount of heat and smoke released during combustion was effectively suppressed by ≈ 71.1% and ≈ 74.1%, respectively. The maximum mass-specific supercapacitance could reach 245.6 F·g⁻¹. The additional LIG layer enables applications of the device as a LIG-APP/EP temperature sensor and allows for monitoring of the deformation according to its shape memory effect. The direct laser scribing of graphene from APP/EP in an air atmosphere provides a convenient and practical approach for the fabrication of flame-retardant electronics.

Optimization of Actuation Load and Shape Recovery Speed of Polyester-Based/Fe3O4 Composite Foams

In this research, polyester-based polymers/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite foams were prepared in order to study their performance; namely shape recovery speed and actuation load. A foamed structure was obtained through a solid-state foaming process, which was studied and optimized in previous research. The optimum foaming parameters were applied in an attempt to achieve the highest foaming ratio possible. A Taguchi Map was then designed to determine the number of experiments to be conducted. The experimental results showed that the maximum actuation load obtained was 3.35 N, while optimal (fastest) recovery speed was 6.36 mm/min. Furthermore, temperature had no impact on the actuation load as long as a temperature above the T_g was applied. Moreover, the addition of nanoparticles reduced shape recovery speed due to discontinuity within the polymer matrix.

Effect of WEDM Process Parameters on Surface Morphology of Nitinol Shape Memory Alloy

Nickel–titanium shape memory alloys (SMAs) have started becoming popular owing to their unique ability to memorize or regain their original shape from the plastically deformed condition by means of heating or magnetic or mechanical loading. Nickel–titanium alloys, commonly known as nitinol, have been widely used in actuators, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices, and many other applications, including in the biomedical, aerospace, and automotive fields. However, nitinol is a difficult-to-cut material because of its versatile specific properties such as the shape memory effect, superelasticity, high specific strength, high wear and corrosion resistance, and severe strain hardening. There are several challenges faced when machining nitinol SMA with conventional machining techniques. Noncontact operation of the wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process between the tool (wire) and workpiece significantly eliminates the problems of conventional machining processes. The WEDM process consists of multiple input parameters that should be controlled to obtain great surface quality. In this study, the effect of WEDM process parameters on the surface morphology of nitinol SMA was studied using 3D surface analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. 3D surface analysis results indicated a higher value of surface roughness (SR) on the top of the work surface and a lower SR on the bottom portion of the work surface. The surface morphology of the machined sample obtained at optimized parameters showed a reduction in microcracks, micropores, and globules in comparison with the machined surface obtained at a high discharge energy level. EDX analysis indicated a machined surface free of molybdenum (tool electrode).