Shape memory alloy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Shape memory alloy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A shape memory alloy (SMA) (also known as memory metal or smart wire) is a metal that remembers its
geometry. After it is deformed, it regains its original geometry by itself during heating (one-way effect) or, at
higher ambient temperatures, simply during unloading (pseudo-elasticity). These extraordinary properties are
due to a temperature-dependent martensitic phase transformation from a low-symmetry to a highly symmetric
crystallographic structure. Those crystal structures are known as martensite and austenite.

Contents

1 overview
2 One-way vs. two-way Shape Memory
3 History
4 Materials
5 External links
6 references

overview
The three main types of SMA are the copper-zinc-aluminium, copper-aluminium-nickel, and nickel-titanium
(NiTi) alloys. NiTi alloys are generally more expensive and possess superior mechanical properties when
compared to copper-based SMAs. The temperatures at which the SMA changes its crystallographic structure
are characteristic of the alloy, and can be tuned by varying the elemental ratios. Typically, Ms denotes the
temperature at which the structure starts to change from austenite to martensite upon cooling; Mf is the
temperature at which the transition is finished. Accordingly, As and Af are the temperatures at which the
reverse transformation from martensite to austenite start and finish, respectively. It is important to note that
repeated use of the shape memory effect may lead to a shift of the characteristic transformation temperatures
(this effect is known as functional fatigue, as it is closely related with a change of microstructural and
functional properties of the material).

In this figure, (xi) represents the martensite fraction.

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One-way vs. two-way Shape Memory

Shape memory alloys may have different kinds of shape memory effect. The two most common memory
effects are the one-way shape memory and the two-way shape memory. A schematic view of the two effects is
given in the figure below.

In the figure above, the procedures are very similar: starting from martensite (a), adding a reversible
deformation for the one-way effect or severe deformation with an irreversible amount for the two-way (b),
heating the sample (c) and cooling it again (d). With the one way effect, cooling from high temperatures does
not cause a macroscopic shape change. A deformation is necessary to create the low temperature shape. On
heating, tranfromation starts at A_s and is completed at A_f (typically 2 to 20C or hotter, depending on the
alloy or the loading conditions). A_s is determined by the alloy type and composition. It can be varied
between -150C and maximum 200C.
The two-way shape memory effect is the effect that the material remembers two different shapes: one at low
temperatures, and one at the high temperature shape. This can be obtained also without the application of an
external force (intrinsic two-way effect). The reason the material behaves so diffently in these situations lies
in training. Training implies that a shape memory can learn to behave in a certain way. Under normal
circumstances, a shape memory alloy remembers its high temperature shape, but upon heating to recover the
high temperature shape, immediately forgets the low temperature shape. However, it can be trained to
remember to leave some reminders of the deformed low temperature condition in the high temperature phase.
There are several ways of doing this.

History
The nickel-titanium alloys were first developed in 1965 by the Naval Ordnance Laboratory and
commercialized under the trade name Nitinol (an acronym for NIckel TItanium Naval Ordnance
Laboratories).
The range of applications for SMAs has been increasing in recent years, with one major area of expansion
being medicine: for example, the development of dental braces that exert a constant pressure on the teeth.
However, these materials are not currently appropriate for applications such as robotics or artificial muscles,
due to energy inefficiency, slow response times, and large hysteresis.
Metal alloys are not the only thermally responsive materials, as shape memory polymers have also been

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developed, having become commercially available in the late 1990's.

There is another type of SMA called ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMA), that change shape under
strong magnetic fields. These materials are of particular interest as the magnetic response tends to be quicker
and more efficient than temperature-induced responses.

Materials
Materials having the memory effect:

Ag-Cd 44/49 at.% Cd

Au-Cd 46.5/50 at.% Cd
Cu-Al-Ni 14/14.5 wt.% Al and 3/4.5 wt.% Ni
Cu-Sn approx. 15 at.% Sn
Cu-Zn 38.5/41.5 wt.% Zn
Cu-Zn-X (X = Si,Sn,Al) a few wt.% of X
In-Ti 18/23 at.% Ti
Ni-Al 36/38 at.% Al
Ni-Ti 49/51 at.% Ni
Fe-Pt approx. 25 at.% Pt
Mn-Cu 5/35 at.% Cu
Fe-Mn-Si
Pt alloys

External links

Nitinol technology (from Nitinol Devices & Components)

Nitinol Technical Data/Application Notes (from Johnson Matthey, Inc.)
introductions and comparisons of smart active materials (from Mid Technology Corporation)
BBC report on medical applications of Nitinol
SFB 459: A German Research Center for Shape Memory Alloys
SMAterial.com - phenomena, crystallography, model, simulation and applications of SMA - Has .gif
animations demonstrating the effect.
Texas A&M University's Shape Memory Alloy Research Team - SMA overview, publications, etc.

references

Duerig, TW, KN Melton, D Stckel amd CM Wayman. "Engineering Aspects of Shape Memory
alloys". ISBN 0-750-61009-3. London: Butterworth Heinemann, 1990.
K. Shimizu and T. Tadaki, Shape Memory Alloys, H. Funakubo, Ed., Gordon and Breach Science
Publishers, 1987

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Categories: Alloys | Smart materials

This page was last modified 14:09, 7 March 2006.

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