materiaux

The new breed of electronic devices is all-digital and nanosized. However, to make these devices work, innovative materials solutions are required. New research from an international team headed by scientists at Russia’s South Ural State University has identified a nanocomposite material comprised of magnesium oxide (MgO) and barium titanate (BaTiO3).

Alloys that can return to their original structure after being deformed have a so-called shape memory. This phenomenon and the resulting forces are used in many mechanical actuating systems, for example in generators or hydraulic pumps. However, it has not been possible to use this shape-memory effect at a small nanoscale: Objects made of shape-memory alloy can only change back to their original shape if they are larger than around 50 nanometers.