A team of researchers from leading Japanese institutions has developed a new alloy that can return to its original shape even in extremely cold environments, making it ideal for use in outer space. This copper-based alloy, created by experts from Tohoku University, Iwate University, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, National Astronomical Observation of Japan, Tokyo City University and Kyoto University, can function at temperatures as low as minus 200 degrees Celsius.
Shape memory alloys work like temperature-sensitive memory foam. They can be bent or twisted when cold but snap back to their original shape when heated. While most known shape memory materials, like nickel-titanium, stop working below minus 20 degrees, this new Cu-Al-Mn alloy performs well in temperatures far lower than minus 100 degrees, making it the first of its kind to deliver strong performance in such cold conditions.
The research team tested the alloy by building a prototype mechanical heat switch, a small device that can control heat flow based on temperature. This switch operated effectively at minus 170 degrees, switching between open and closed states as temperatures changed. The operating temperature of the alloy can also be tuned by adjusting its composition.
“We were very happy when we saw that it worked at minus 170 degrees Celsius,” said Toshihiro Omori from Tohoku University. “Other shape memory alloys simply can’t do this.”
The alloy is designed to be used in environments where extreme cold is common, such as in space equipment or hydrogen storage systems. Actuators, which are devices that turn energy into movement, are key components in these systems. Until now, no material could handle large outputs in such freezing conditions.
This discovery opens the door for advanced cooling systems in space telescopes and other space missions. The new mechanical heat switch is also simple and compact, making it valuable for future carbon-neutral technologies like hydrogen transportation and storage.
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