Episode 12: Lightweight shape memory alloy retains superelasticity at 4 K

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Sheng Xu from Tohoku University, Japan about his lightweight shape memory alloy that retains superelasticity at temperatures as cold as 4 K and as hot as 400°C. This range is about 5 times wider than commercial shape memory alloys. Shape memory alloys are needed for extreme environments such as part of machines in space or deep sea. Xu also sees uses for biomedical applications or for storage containers for liquid fuels like liquid hydrogen, which must be kept at very cold temperatures. This work was published in a recent issue of Nature.