Shape Memory and Self Healing

in Gold Nano and Microparticles

By Matthew Tiszenkel
ENGR-1050-401-Su17
Research so Far
Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Karlsruhe Institiute of
Technology in Germany attempted to determine if gold particles exhibited any self healing
properties at the nano or microscale.
Unlike at the macro scale, gold particles at the micro and nanoscales did exhibit shape-memory.
Shape-memory materials are those which have the ability to repair damage caused by plastic
(permanent) deformation and return to their original shape.
This is accomplished by the materials existing in two stable crystalline forms: Martensite which
has lower symmetry and austenite the primary form which is stable at higher temperatures.
The marstensite form is activated by cooling down or applying a sufficient mechanical load to the
material. These marstensite crystals can then be converted back to their austenite form when
heated.
The researchers applied force to the gold particles with a sharp diamond tip, controlled by an
AFM, which indented the particles.
Applying a 600 C temperature to the gold particles, almost 65% of the absolute melting
temperature for gold, led to the complete healing of the damage and returned the sample to its
original shape.
Goals for the Future
The researchers hope that this discovery will lead to advances in the
electronics and medical fields.
One hope for the technology is targeted drug delivery where a drug is
injected into a cavity of a gold particle that is released when heated.
However, this would require particles that recover their original shape at
much lower temperatures.
Another, possibly more attainable, goal is to create self healing electrical
contacts and components. One of the biggest causes of failure in modern
electronics is mechanical stress to the electrical contacts. If we could create
contacts out of these self healing gold particles, as electrical current passed
over the contacts, the heat the current created could potentially heal any
previous damage.
Understanding the Mechanics
The researchers were able to understand why this phenomena
occurred by using atomistic molecular computer simulations in order
to investigate the atomic motion in indentation as well as heating.
Plastic deformation takes place during the indentation process.
This deformation creates terraces and ledges on the flat facets of the
particle.
These can then be used as a guide for the gold atoms to diffuse back
to their original locations under high temperatures.
This allows the particle to recover its original shape.
Deformed Gold Nanoparticle that was
Restored to its Original Shape
Sources
Hattori, Kevin. "Researchers Demonstrate Shape Memory" Effect in
Gold Particles." American Technion Society. N.p., 7 July 2017. Web. 14
July 2017. <http://www.ats.org/news/researchers-demonstrate-
shape-memory-effect-in-gold-particles/>.
Note: As this research is incredibly new and cutting edge, this was the
only source I could find.