Metal alloy manufacturer Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) and the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) have signed a deal that will enable the transfer of processing technology of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (NiTi) to MIDHANI.

The Hyderabad-based indigenous strategic materials-maker plans to manufacture these alloys in the form of wires, strips, rods, springs and plates to meet the demands of the domestic industry. In the bio-medical sector, it will look at the stent market.

Currently, no alloy manufacturer in India makes the NiTi shape memory alloys commercially and they have to be imported.

The exclusive agreement was signed by DK Likhi, Chairman and Managing Director of MIDHANI, and Jitendra J Jadhav, Director, CSIR -NAL (National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru).

The research and development work on the shape memory alloys was led by SK Bhumik of the Bengaluru lab, according to a press release from MIDHANI. NiTi shape memory alloys belong to a class of shape memory materials, which have the ability to ‘memorise’ or retain their previous form when subjected to certain stimulus such as thermo-mechanical or magnetic variations. Known by various other names such as smart metal, memory metal, muscle wire and intelligent material, they are fast-gaining acceptance in various sectors.

SMAs have caught the attention of aerospace industry with different computer engineering applications (actuators/sensors, smart coupling etc) and bio-medical applications (orthodontic wire, bone plate, stents etc) due to their special functional behaviour. Other sectors where their utility is growing are automotive, aerospace and robotics.

With this deal, the company will be entering the commercial market for ‘smart’ materials in the country.

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