An Overview of Nitinol: Superelastic and Shape Memory

The world population is growing, globalization has resulted in a higher standard of living in many countries, and people are living longer. With increased living standards and choices people make, lifestyle-related illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases, are on the increase. Companies race to make medical devices to cure challenging physical conditions and diseases. Novel materials are an integral part of supporting such design and development. One such material is Nitinol (NiTi), a serendipitous discovery in 1959 by William J. Buehler during research at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory, White Oak, MD. Nitinol, which saw use in medical devices beginning in the late 1980s, stands for Nickel Titanium Naval Ordnance Laboratory.