SHAPE MEMORY

ALLOYS

Acknowledgement
Information and pictorial illustrations to

create this work have been drawn from class

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AGENDA
Introduction
Characteristics of Shape Memory Alloys
Applications of Shape Memory Alloys

INTRODUCTION
Shape memory alloys are a class of metal

alloys that can recover apparent strains when

they are heated above a certain temperature.

 Shape Memory Alloys are lightweight and a solid

state alternative to conventional actuators such

as hydraulic pneumatic and motor based
systems.

 Shape memory alloys have different shape

memory effects. Two common effects are one

way and two way shape memory.

Characteristics of Shape Memory

Alloys
Shape Recovery Stress
Fe-SMAs are usually applied as jointing goods.

 Such application using the Fe-SMAs is more in need

of the recovery stress rather than the recovery
strain.

Solid line and broken lines indicate the behavior of

the recovery stress with and without training,
respectively.

 The behavior of the above material is shown

below.

 Shape recovery strain

Shape recovery strain depends on the initial

strain and the number of cycles of training.

 Training treatment consists of repetitive

processing of proper deformation and heating.

 The recovery strain shows a maximum value with

5~8% initial strain and higher strain deteriorates its
value.

 On the other hand, the results of the shape

recovery ratio show that training treatment is
imperative to obtain perfect shape recovery, not

to mention that the initial strain is restricted to

the region of low strain (less than 2%).

 Super elasticity SMAs also display super elasticity, which is

characterized by recovery of unusually large

strains.
As a result, these materials can reversibly
deform to very high strains up to 8 percent.

Applications of Shape Memory

Alloys
Aircrafts and Spacecrafts

SMAs are being explored as vibration

dampers for launch vehicles and commercial

jet engines.

 Automotive Industry
The automotive valve used to control low

pressure pneumatic bladders in a car seat that

adjust the contour of the lumbar support /
bolsters makes use of SMAs.

 Other targeted applications include electric

generators to generate electricity from exhaust
heat and on-demand air dams to optimize

aerodynamics at various speeds.

 Robotics
There are studies on using SMAs in robotics in

order to create very light weight robots.

 Civil Structures The Intelligent Reinforced Concrete (IRC)

incorporates SMA wires embedded within the

concrete as they can sense cracks and contract
to heal macro-sized cracks.

 Telecommunication
The autofocus actuator for smart phones and

optical image stabilisation modules are driven

by SMA wires.

 Medicine
Used as fixation devices in orthopaedic surgery

and dental braces to exert constant toothmoving forces on the teeth.

 The self expanding properties of Nitinol alloys

manufactured to Body Temperature Response
provides an alternative to balloon expandable
devices in stent grafts.

This gives the ability to adapt to the shape of

certain blood vessels when exposed to body
temperature.

 Optometry
The eyeglasses made of shape-memory alloys

are more robust against being accidentally

damaged.

 Dentistry
Dental braces using SMA technology exert

constant tooth-moving forces on the teeth.

 The nitinol archwire developed in 1972 by

orthodontist George Andreasen revolutionized
clinical orthodontics.

Andreasen's alloy has a patterned shape memory

which expands and contracts within the given

temperature ranges due to its geometric
programming.

 Engines
Experimental solid state heat engines have been
developed since the 1970s which includes the

Banks Engine, developed by Ridgway Banks.

They operate from relatively small temperature

differences in cold and hot water reservoirs.

 Crafts
Sold in small round lengths for use in affixment-

free bracelets.

Thank You !
Compiled by :
Sudarshan.S.K

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