At École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland researchers have designed an advanced material that can go from being highly flexible to rigid as its temperature changes. This could be useful for endoscopic applications in which tortuous anatomy prevents rigid devices from passing through, but then allowing the instrument to tense up and become useful for taking biopsies, for example.
The material is actually a composite consisting of a silicone tube with a metal alloy interior. The silicone is wrapped with a copper wire. Delivering electric current through the conductive wire heats it up and the metal within the silicone tube, turning it from rigid to soft at around 144° Fahrenheit (52° Celsius). This is a good temperature range as it’s within what the human body can tolerate locally for not too long periods of time. If the rigid silicone tube cracks for any reason, it can be melted in place and repaired to new.
Here’s a video from EPFL showing off the new technology:
Study in journal Advanced Materials: Variable Stiffness Fiber with Self-Healing Capability…
Via: EPFL…