Welded joints between titanium or stainless steels and so-called nickel-titanium shape memory alloys are still susceptible to cracking. The material combinations therefore often exhibit low strength. Scientists at the University of Kassel have now succeeded in developing a new process using the biocompatible filler materials niobium, tantalum and hafnium - which opens up possibilities in medical technology, for example. In a first project, they improved the material strength of a middle ear implant by a factor of 3.
