SHAPE-MEMORY ALLOY AND SHAPE-MEMORY ALLOY WIRE

摘要

This shape-memory alloy comprises an Au-Cu-Al alloy containing 20-40 at% of Cu and 15-30 at% of Al, with the remainder being Au and unavoidable impurities, and has a Vickers hardness of at most 360 Hv. The Au-Cu-Al alloy is able to exhibit both biocompatibility and a shape-memory effect, and further can provide an artifact-free effect in a magnetic environment. The Au-Cu-Al alloy can be produced by heating, at 500-700°C, a clad material obtained by combining a hollow material made of an Au-Cu alloy with a core material made of metallic aluminum.