The first nanometrically-sized superelastic alloy

Researchers have explored superelasticity properties on a nanometric scale based on shearing an alloy's pillars down to nanometric size. The researchers have found that below one micron in diameter the material behaves differently and requires much higher stress for it to be deformed. This superelastic behavior is opening up new channels in the application of microsystems involving flexible electronics and microsystems that can be implanted into the human body.