IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-56775-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Local chemical inhomogeneity enables superior strength-ductility-superelasticity synergy in additively manufactured NiTi shape memory alloys

Author

Listed:
  • Zhonghan Li

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

  • Jixiang Cai

    (Beijing University of Technology)

  • Zhihao Zhao

    (Tongji University)

  • Ying Yang

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

  • Yang Ren

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Gang Sha

    (Nanjing University of Science and Technology)

  • Lishan Cui

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

  • Kaiyuan Yu

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

  • Daqiang Jiang

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

  • Yao Xiao

    (Tongji University)

  • Shengcheng Mao

    (Beijing University of Technology)

  • Shijie Hao

    (China University of Petroleum-Beijing)

Abstract

NiTi shape memory alloys produced via additive manufacturing are suffering low tensile strength, low total elongation, and unstable superelasticity, thus failing to meet the requirements of practical applications. Here, we report an strategy to substantially and synergistically improve the strength, ductility, and superelasticity of NiTi produced by laser powder bed fusion through establishing high-density Ni-rich local chemical inhomogeneity (LCI) entities within B2 matrix. Compared with other documented microstructures such as long-range ordered Ni4Ti3 precipitates, the present Ni-rich LCI entities are unique to increase the resistance against dislocation slip, facilitate stress-induced martensitic transformation, and most importantly, relieve local stress concentration around micro-pore defects and entity interfaces. This specialized microstructure endows tensile superelasticity, i.e., tensile ultimate strength of 958.7 MPa, total tensile elongation of 11.2%, superelastic strain exceeding 7%, and superior cyclic stability. The results advance our capabilities in fabricating high-performance superelastic SMAs with complex geometries through additive manufacturing and LCI engineering.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhonghan Li & Jixiang Cai & Zhihao Zhao & Ying Yang & Yang Ren & Gang Sha & Lishan Cui & Kaiyuan Yu & Daqiang Jiang & Yao Xiao & Shengcheng Mao & Shijie Hao, 2025. "Local chemical inhomogeneity enables superior strength-ductility-superelasticity synergy in additively manufactured NiTi shape memory alloys," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56775-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56775-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56775-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-56775-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anyu Shang & Benjamin Stegman & Kenyi Choy & Tongjun Niu & Chao Shen & Zhongxia Shang & Xuanyu Sheng & Jack Lopez & Luke Hoppenrath & Bohua Peter Zhang & Haiyan Wang & Pascal Bellon & Xinghang Zhang, 2024. "Additive manufacturing of an ultrastrong, deformable Al alloy with nanoscale intermetallics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Lu An & Zipeng Guo & Zheng Li & Yu Fu & Yong Hu & Yulong Huang & Fei Yao & Chi Zhou & Shenqiang Ren, 2022. "Tailoring thermal insulation architectures from additive manufacturing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lei Li & Yiqian Zhou & Yang Gao & Xuning Feng & Fangshu Zhang & Weiwei Li & Bin Zhu & Ze Tian & Peixun Fan & Minlin Zhong & Huichang Niu & Shanyu Zhao & Xiaoding Wei & Jia Zhu & Hui Wu, 2023. "Large-scale assembly of isotropic nanofiber aerogels based on columnar-equiaxed crystal transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Feng Xiong & Jiawei Zhou & Yongkang Jin & Zitao Zhang & Mulin Qin & Haiwei Han & Zhenghui Shen & Shenghui Han & Xiaoye Geng & Kaihang Jia & Ruqiang Zou, 2024. "Thermal shock protection with scalable heat-absorbing aerogels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56775-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.