This 0.012 - inch diameter Muscle Wire®, also known as shape memory Nitinol, is a nickel - titanium alloy wire that's one foot long. It's truly amazing! When you apply a specific amount of heat or current, this wire can flex and contract. It's not magic; it's science at work, thanks to the shape memory effect and the change between its weaker, low - temperature martensitic form and its stronger, high - temperature austenite form. In its martensitic form, you can easily bend and shape the wire as you like. But when you apply an electrical current of about 1.5A or heat it to around 100°C, it quickly reverts to the austenite form and forcefully recovers its previous shape. You can even anneal it at about 500°C (using an industrial furnace or a simple lighter) to set it into a new desired shape. Once heat or current is applied again, it will snap back to that new shape. The datasheet below is for Flexinol® actuator wire, which is similar to Muscle Wire®. Flexinol® Actuator Wires are designed for linear actuators to replace small motors or solenoids. Features include a length of 305mm, a diameter of 0.30mm, a 1.5A current requirement for the austenite form, a pull force of 2.83lbs, and a resistance of 0.31 ohms/inch. Available documents are the datasheet and a product video.
Using this Muscle Wire is easy. First, in its martensitic form, you can bend and shape it into whatever you want. To make it return to its previous shape, apply an electrical current of about 1.5A or heat it to around 100°C. If you want to set a new shape, anneal it at about 500°C using an industrial furnace or a lighter. When using a lighter, be careful not to overheat it. For maintenance, keep the wire dry and away from sharp objects that could damage it. Don't exceed the recommended current or temperature as it might affect the wire's shape - memory properties. The datasheet can give you more detailed information, but this should get you started with using your Muscle Wire.
