Carlos José de Araújo

Artificial Biometric Finger Driven by Shape-Memory Alloy Wires

This paper presents the design and testing of an artificial finger based partly on biomechanics. The prototype was manufactured in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic using a rapid prototyping three-dimensional printer. The flexing of the finger was realized by Ni-Ti shape-memory alloy (SMA) wires with diameters of 0.3 mm, activated by resistive heating. The results obtained show the new prototype to be superior in performance, mainly in terms of angles of rotation of the phalanges, compared with some SMA fingers discussed in the literature.

Electro-thermomechanical characterization of Ti-Ni shape memory alloy thin wires

The use of shape memory alloys (SMA) as smart structures and other modern applications require a previous evaluation of its performance under load as well as a training procedure. In general, these requirements lead to the design and assembly of a specific test bench. In this work, an experimental set-up was specially designed to perform the electro-thermomechanical characterization of SMA wires. This apparatus was used to determine the strain-temperature (e - T) and electrical resistance-temperature (R - T) hysteretic characteristics curves of a Ti-Ni shape memory wire (90 mm in length and 150 µm in diameter) under mechanical load. The SMA wire is loaded by means of constant weights and a controlled system for injection of electrical power allows performing the heating-cooling cycles. The obtained hysteretic e - T and R - T characteristics curves for some levels of applied loads are used to determine important shape memory parameters, like martensitic transformation temperatures, temperature hysteresis, temperature slopes and shape memory effect under load. These parameters were in accord with the ones found in literature for the studied SMA wires.

Dynamic Properties of NiTi Shape Memory Alloy and Classic Structural Materials: A Comparative Analysis

Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) are smart materials that have attracted increasing attention due to their superior damping properties when compared to conventional structural materials. These functional materials exhibit high damping capacity during phase transformation as well as in the low temperature martensitic state. In this work NiTi SMA, commercial aluminum, stainless steel and brass were submitted to dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in a single cantilever mode. Small beam specimens were manufactured to accomplish the DMA tests. The studied NiTi presented a damping capacity peak during phase transformation, being much higher than damping of conventional materials. NiTi SMA also showed an increase of storage modulus after conversion of low temperature phase to high temperature phase while an almost linear decrease is observed for the conventional materials studied.

Study of the Complex Stiffness of a Vibratory Mechanical System with Shape Memory Alloy Coil Spring Actuator

The vibration control is an important area in the dynamic of structures that seeks to reduce the amplitude of structural responses in certain critical frequency ranges. Currently, the scientific development leads to the application of some actuators and sensors technologically superior comparing to the same features available on the market. For developing these advanced sensors and actuators, smart materials that can change their mechanical properties when subjected to certain thermomechanical loads can be employed. In this context, Shape memory alloys (SMAs) may be used for developing dynamic vibration dampers which are capable of acting on the system providing proper tuning of the excitation frequency and the natural frequency. This paper aims to analyze the behavior of the stiffness and damping of a SMA helical coil spring actuator coupled to a mechanical system of one degree of freedom (1 DOF) subjected to an unbalanced excitement force and a temperature control system. By analyzing the effect of these parameters on the structural response and considering the concept of complex stiffness, it can be possible to predict the systems behavior within certain acceptable ranges of vibration, already in the design phase.

Vibration Attenuation in an Epoxy Smart Composite Beam with Embedded NiTi Shape Memory Wires

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are thermo-responsive materials where deformation can be induced and recovered through temperature changes. Therefore, SMA are considered smart materials. In this work, an epoxy beam reinforced by NiTi SMA wires was developed. This active composite contains five pre-trained NiTi SMA wire actuators, evenly distributed along the neutral plane of the epoxy beam, which can be activated by resistive heating. The results of different ways for electrical activation of the smart composite in a simply clamped mode are discussed. It was possible to demonstrate the viability of this concept for attenuation of mechanical vibrations by controlled electrical heating of the NiTi wire actuators.

Coupled stress-strain and electrical resistivity measurements on copper based shape memory single crystals

Recently, electrical resistivity (ER) measurements have been done during some thermomechanical tests in copper based shape memory alloys (SMAs). In this work, single crystals of Cu-based SMAs have been studied at different temperatures to analyse the relationship between stress (s) and ER changes as a function of the strain (e). A good consistency between ER change values is observed in different experiments: thermal martensitic transformation, stress induced martensitic transformation and stress induced reorientation of martensite variants. During stress induced martensitic transformation (superelastic behaviour) and stress induced reorientation of martensite variants, a linear relationship is obtained between ER and strain as well as the absence of hys teresis. In conclusion, the present results show a direct evidence of martensite electrical resistivity anisotropy.

Experimental Characterization of Hydrogen Embrittlement in API 5L X60 and API 5L X80 Steels

The present work aims to study the hydrogen embrittlement process in API 5L X60 and API 5L X80 steels. The tests were performed using two kinds of hydrogen sources to work with two conditions of hydrogen damage: environmental hydrogen embrittlement and internal hydrogen embrittlement. The mechanical behavior of API 5L X60 and API 5L X80 steels in tensile tests, with and without hydrogen, were studied. Under environmental hydrogen embrittlement conditions, the API 5L X60 steel presented a softening process observed by the decrease in yield strength and increase in its deformation. The API 5L X80 steel was more susceptible to the phenomenon due the deformation decrease of hydrogenated samples. In notched samples, both steels were susceptible to embrittlement as shown by the decrease in elongation. Under internal hydrogen embrittlement conditions, in both steels the changes in deformation were significant and can be attributed to changes in the hydrogen trapping due to the hydrogenation process used, the chemical composition and microstructure. It was observed that the fracture surface morphology of hydrogenated samples of both steels was ductile by microvoids coalescence, and that the distribution of dimples per unit area was higher in the API 5L X60 steel. It can be concluded, as reported in the literature, that the reversible hydrogen trapping observable in environmental hydrogen embrittlement is more damaging than irreversible hydrogen trapping, observable in internal hydrogen embrittlement.

Thermal Activation of CFRP with Embedded NiTi Shape Memory Wires

The possibility of uniting two or more different materials to obtain structures capable to feel and adapt to environmental alterations and operational conditions, has been leading to the development of active composites with functional properties that makes possible the control of shape, vibration, rigidity and/or structural integrity monitoring. These characteristics are very well accepted in modern technological applications. In this context, active composites were manufactured using pre-impregnated (Pre-Pregs) of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) thin wires in different conditions. The functional capacity of the obtained CFRP-NiTi smart composites was verified through detection of buckling and thermal contraction/expansion effects by electrical heating of the NiTi wires inside the CFRP matrix. Although the NiTi wires represent a minimum volumetric fraction in the CFRP-NiTi produced systems, its influence was evidenced.

Estudo de propriedades dinâmico-mecânicas de um compósito aeronáutico de CFRP com fios de ligas com memória de forma embebidos

This paper is in an experimental study of the thermomechanical properties behavior of an active composite obtained by introducing different volumetric fractions of NiTi shape memory alloy wires into a reinforced carbon fiber polymer (CFRP) matrix. For this study, an initial analysis of an aeronautic CFRP pre-preg with different angle positions of carbon fibers was performed verifying the elastic modulus in order to determinate the more adequate matrix for introducing NiTi SMA wires to obtain active composites. It was found that the CFRP aligned with the carbon fibers at 15o presents with a good choice for obtaining active composite, being used to manufacture CFRP/NiTi samples. The samples had their activation potential confirmed by the change in elastic modulus with increasing temperature using the Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) technique. By obtained results, we verified the activation ability of the CFRP/NiTi composite, which show positive variation of elastic modulus when heated above transformation temperatures of the NiTi wires.

Shape Memory Alloys

This chapter presents a general overview of shape memory alloys (SMAs). A discussion about thermomechanical behaviors is carried out establishing the most important characteristics of these alloys. Applications of SMAs in different areas of human knowledge are explained. Thermomechanical characterization is discussed considering different experimental procedures. Afterward, a brief review of constitutive models is presented. A model with assumed transformation kinetics is explored showing some numerical simulations.