No abstract

Duplex stainless steels (DSS) may be defined as a category of steels with a two-phase ferritic-austenitic microstructure, which combines good mechanical and corrosion properties. However, these steels can undergo significant microstructural modification as a consequence of either thermo-mechanical treatments (ferrite decomposition, which causes σ- and χ-phase formation and nitride precipitation) or plastic deformation at room temperature [austenite transformation into strain-induced martensite (SIM)]. These secondary phases noticeably affect the properties of DSS, and therefore are of huge industrial interest. In the present work, SIM formation was investigated in a 2101 lean DSS. The material was subjected to cold rolling at various degrees of deformation (from 10 to 80% thickness reduction) and the microstructure developed after plastic deformation was investigated by electron backscattered diffraction, X-ray diffraction measurements, and hardness and magnetic tests. It was observed that SIM formed as a consequence of deformations higher than ~20% and residual austenite was still observed at 80% of thickness reduction. Furthermore, a direct relationship was found between microstructure and magnetic properties.

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Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a very promising class of metallic materials that display interesting nonlinear properties, such as pseudoelasticity (PE), shape memory effect (SME) and damping capacity, due to high mechanical hysteresis and internal friction. Our group has applied SMA in the field of neuromuscular rehabilitation, designing some new devices based on the mentioned SMA properties: in particular, a new type of orthosis for spastic limb repositioning, which allows residual voluntary movement of the impaired limb and has no predetermined final target position, but follows and supports muscular elongation in a dynamic and compliant way. Considering patients in the sub-acute phase after a neurological lesion, and possibly bedridden, the paper presents a mobiliser for the ankle joint, which is designed exploiting the SME to provide passive exercise to the paretic lower limb. Two different SMA-based applications in the field of neuroscience are then presented, a guide and a limb mobiliser specially designed to be compatible with diagnostic instrumentations that impose rigid constraints in terms of electromagnetic compatibility and noise distortion. Finally, the paper discusses possible uses of these materials in the treatment of movement disorders, such as dystonia or hyperkinesia, where their dynamic characteristics can be advantageous.