Researchers have turned a stubborn alloy into a shape-shifting foam by just giving it a little breathing room. They have created a foam from a nickel-manganese-gallium alloy (Ni-Mn-Ga) that changes shape when exposed to a magnetic field. The new foam could translate to smaller, lighter pumps and more aerodynamic airplane wings. More ...
Researchers have turned a stubborn alloy into a shape-shifting foam by just giving it a little breathing room. They have created a foam from a nickel-manganese-gallium alloy (Ni-Mn-Ga) that changes shape when exposed to a magnetic field. The new foam could translate to smaller, lighter pumps and more aerodynamic airplane wings.