A recent development in producing porous Ni-Ti shape memory alloys

Porous Ni-Ti shape memory alloys (SMAs) are promising candidates for biomed ical materials. In the present study, a bulk porous Ni-Ti SMA with a banded structure of channels and 54 vol.% porosity has been successfully prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). The Ni-Ti SMA synthe sized has an open porous structure, also its pores and channels with variou s size and shape are three-dimensionally interconnected. Compared to the co nventional pou der sintering method, the present method extends the porosit y range of porous Ni-Ti SMAs. A schematic representation of SHS synthesized Ni-Ti SMAs has been suggested. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.