Joined dissimilar materials and method

Abstract

A method of forming a wire includes providing a first wire section comprising a first material and providing a second wire section comprising a second material different from the first material. A joining section is formed having a first end and a second end such that the first end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the first material and such that the second end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the second material. The first wire section is welded to the first end of the joining section and the second wire section is welded to the second end of the joining section. Forming the joining section includes forming the joining section via a process selected from a group comprising electrodeposition, three-dimensional printing, direct typing process, LIGA, lithography and stacking processes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a wire comprising:
 providing a first wire section comprising a first material;   providing a second wire section comprising a second material different from the first material;   forming a joining section having a first end and a second end such that the first end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the first material and such that the second end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the second material; and   welding the first wire section to the first end of the joining section and welding the second wire section to the second end of the joining section;   wherein forming the joining section comprises forming the joining section via a process selected from a group comprising electrodeposition, three-dimensional printing, direct typing process, LIGA, lithography and stacking processes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprising one of stainless steel, nickel-chromium alloy, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, and cobalt alloy and wherein the second material comprising nickel-titanium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the joining section comprises the first material and the second end of the joining section comprises the second material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises electrodepositing a first section of the joining section with the first material, thereby defining the first end, and electrodepositing a second section of the joining section with the second material, thereby defining the second end, and wherein electrodepositing the first and second sections further comprises forming a feature that couples the first and second sections. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises three-dimensional screen printing the joining section such that the joining section comprises a gradient of materials progressing from the first material at the first end of the joining section to the second material at the second end of the joining section. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein three-dimensional screen printing the joining section comprises printing at least three or more layers of different compositions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises using a lithography or stacking processes to build up the joining section and such that the joining section comprises a feature that couples the first and second materials. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the wire comprises forming such that the outer diameter of the wire is between 0.005 and about 0.02 inches. 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a wire comprising:
 providing a first wire section comprising a first material;   providing a second wire section comprising a second material different from the first material;   forming a joining section having a first end and a second end such that the first end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the first material and such that the second end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the second material;   coupling the first wire section to the first end of the joining section thereby defining a first interface where the first joining section material is compatible with the first material of the first wire section across the entire first interface; and   coupling the second wire section to the second end of the joining section thereby defining a second interface where the second joining section material is compatible with the second material of the second wire section across the entire second interface.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming the joining section comprises forming the joining section via a process selected from a group comprising electrodeposition, three-dimensional printing, direct typing process, LIGA, lithography and stacking processes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first material comprising one of stainless steel, nickel-chromium alloy, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, and cobalt alloy and wherein the second material comprising nickel-titanium. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the joining section comprises the first material and the second end of the joining section comprises the second material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises electrodepositing a first section of the joining section with the first material, thereby defining the first end, and electrodepositing a second section of the joining section with the second material, thereby defining the second end, and wherein electrodepositing the first and second sections further comprises forming a feature that couples the first and second sections. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises three-dimensional screen printing the joining section such that the joining section comprises a gradient of materials progressing from the first material at the first end of the joining section to the second material at the second end of the joining section. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein three-dimensional screen printing the joining section comprises printing at least three or more layers of different compositions. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming the joining section further comprises using a lithography or stacking processes to build up the joining section and such that the joining section comprises a feature that couples the first and second materials. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming the wire comprises forming such that the outer diameter of the wire is between 0.005 and about 0.02 inches. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a wire comprising:
 providing a first wire section comprising a first material;   providing a second wire section comprising a second material different from the first material;   forming a joining section having a first end and a second end such that the first end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the first material and such that the second end of the joining section comprising a material that is compatible with the second material;   characterized in that forming the joining section comprises forming a first section of the joining section in a mask via an electroplating process, the first section defining the first end, and forming the second section of the joining section in the mask and on the first section via a further electroplating process, the second section defining the second end.