Experimental Study on Characteristics of NiMnGa Magnetically Controlled Shape Memory Alloy

The static and dynamic magnetic controlling characteristics of NiMnGa magnetically controlled shape memory alloy （MSMA） were experimentally studied. The results show that the characteristics of induced strain with respect to the magnetic field are nonlinear with saturation nature, and dependent on the temperature as well as the load applied to the MSMA. The magnetic shape memory effect can be observed only in complete martensite phase at room temperature. The magnetic permeability of MSMA is not constant and reduces with the increment of magnetic field. The relative saturation magnetic permeability of MSMA is about 1.5.

Martensitic Transformation and Magnetic-Field-Induced Strain in Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy NiMnGa Melt-Spun Ribbon

A magnetic shape memory alloy with nonstoichiometric Ni50Mn27Ga23 was prepared by using melt-spinning technology. The martensitic transformation and the magnetic-field-induced strain (MFIS) of the polycrystalline melt-spun ribbon were investigated. The experimental results showed that the melt-spun ribbons underwent thermal-elastic martensitic transformation and reverse transformation in cooling and heating process and exhibited typical thermo-elastic shape memory effect. However the start temperature for martensitic transformation decreased from 286 K for as-cast alloy to 254 K for as-quenched ribbon and Curie temperature remains approximately constant. A particular internal stress induced by melt-spinning resulted in the formation of a texture structure in the ribbons, which made the ribbons obtain larger martensitic transformation strain and MFIS. The internal stress was released substantially after annealing, which resulted in a decrease of MFIS of the ribbons.

Martensitic Transformation in Magnetically Controlled Shape Memory Alloys Co_(50)Ni_(20)Ga_(30)

The martensitic transformation for Co50Ni20Ga30 ribbon synthesized by the melt-spinning technique was studied by means of X-ray diffraction and ac magnetic susceptibility. The Co50Ni20Ga30 ribbon, having bcc phase with calculated lattice parameters of a=0.57431 nm at 313 K. It exhibits a structure transition from parent phase to martensite during cooling. The martensitic phase in Co50Ni20Ga30 ribbon is tetragonal structure with lattice parameters of a=b=0.5422 nm and c=0.6401 nm. (c/a>1). According to the changing of diffraction intensity for martensite and the change of ac magnetic susceptibility, the process of the martensitic transformation can be divided into three parts during cooling from 283 K to 213 K. When the temperature decreasing sequentially from 193 K to 110 K, the structure of the martensite has a change in which the a-axis decreases and c-axis increases. The morphologies of selfaccommodation were observeds. The parallelogram morphology, the diamond morphology and the fork morphology were found.

Effect of Sn substitution and heat treatment on microstructure and microhardness of Co_(38)Ni_(34)Al_(28-x)Sn_x magnetic shape memory alloys

Sn was used to replace Al in Co38Ni34Al28 alloy. The microstructure and microhardness of Co38Ni34Al28-xSnx （x=0, 1, 2, 3） magnetic shape memory alloys were investigated at different heat treatment temperatures （1373 K, 1473 K, and 1573 K） for 2 h. The results show that more Sn substitution reduces the content of γ-phase and a partial phase of martensite can be obtained in Co38Ni34Al28-xSnx （x=1, 2, 3） alloys after treatment at 1573 K for 2 h. The maximum martensite phase appears when 2% Al is substituted by Sn. The reverse martensitic transformation temperature of Co38Ni34Al28-xSnx alloys increases at x=1 and 2, then decreases as x=3. As the content of Sn and the temperature increase, the microhardness will increase.

Effect of Co substitution on magnetic properties of Ni-Mn-Sn magnetic shape memory alloys

The effect of Co substitution on magnetic properties of Ni-Mn-Sn shape memory alloy was revealed by first-principles calculations. Large magnetization difference in Ni-Mn-Sn alloy obtained by addition of Co arises from enhancement of magnetization of austenite due to change of Mn-Mn interaction from anti-ferromagnetism to ferromagnetism. Total energy difference between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic austenite plays an important role in magnetic transition of Ni-Co-Mn-Sn. The altered Mn 3d states due to Co substitution give rise to difference in magnetic properties.

INFLUENCE OF MAGNETIZATION ROTATION ON MARTENSITE REORIENTATION IN MAGNETIC SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY

A large field-induced strain of magnetic shape memory alloy is developed by the martensite variant reorientation. It is widely recognized that the martensite reorientation in a magnetic shape memory alloy （MSMA） can develop if the magnetic field is large enough. However, it has been shown in the literature that the magnetization rotation may block variant reorientation via energy minimization approach. In this paper, based on a micromechanicat model associated with the thermodynamic theory, authors show that there are some limits for the martensite reorientation, which is hindered by the magnetization rotation. Some useful conclusions are obtained.

Hybrid control based on inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii model for magnetic shape memory alloy actuator

The hysteresis characteristic is the major deficiency in the positioning control of magnetic shape memory alloy actuator. A Prandtl-Ishlinskii model was developed to characterize the hysteresis of magnetic shape memory alloy actuator. Based on the proposed Prandtl-Ishlinskii model, the inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii model was established as a feedforward controller to compensate the hysteresis of the magnetic shape memory alloy actuator. For further improving of the positioning precision of the magnetic shape memory alloy actuator, a hybrid control method with hysteresis nonlinear model in feedforward loop was proposed. The control method is separated into two parts: a feedforward loop with inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii model and a feedback loop with neural network controller. To validate the validity of the proposed control method, a series of simulations and experiments were researched. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the maximum error rate of open loop controller based on inverse PI model is 1.72%, the maximum error rate of the hybrid controller based on inverse PI model is 1.37%.

COMPOSITION TRIANGLE DIAGRAMS OF Ni-Mn-Ga MAGNETIC SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS

A statistical work has been done to collect the composition ranges of Ni-Mn-Ga alloys exhibiting different structures and martensite start temperature （M,）, large magnetostrain or the co-existence of magnetic and structural transitions. The alloys with five-layered （5M）, seven-layered （7M） modulated and non-modulated （T） martensitic structures were mapped in the graph. An empirical formula has been presented to reflect the effect of elements nickel （Ni ）, manganese （ Mn ） and gallium （Ga）, on the martensite start temperature （M3）. The martensitic structure is sensitive to the composition and the martensitic transformation temperature is most drastically affected by the Ni content. The alloys with large magnetostrain or co-existence effect of the magnetic and structural transitions were also listed in a limited area.

Pressure effects on magnetic properties and martensitic transformation of Ni–Mn–Sn magnetic shape memory alloys

The mechanism for the effects of pressure on the magnetic properties and the martensitic transformation of Ni-Mn- Sn shape memory alloys is revealed by first-principles calculations. It is found that the total energy difference between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic austenite states plays an important role in the magnetic transition of Ni-Mn-Sn under pressure. The pressure increases the relative stability of the martensite with respect to the anstenite, leading to an increase of the martensitic transformation temperature. Moreover, the effects of pressure on the magnetic properties and the martensitic transformation are discussed based on the electronic structure.

Effect of Co on magnetic property and phase stability of Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys:A first-principles study

The effect of Co content on magnetic property and phase stability of Ni50-xMn25Ga25Cox ferromagnetic shape memory alloys has been investigated using first-principles calculations. The total energy difference between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic state of austenite plays an important role in the magnetic transition. The high Curie temperature can be attributed to the stronger Co-Mn exchange interaction as compared to the Ni-Mn one. The phase stability of Niso-xMn25Ga25Cox austenite increases with increasing Co content, which is discussed based on the electronic structure.

Modeling of Ni_4Ti_3 precipitation during stress-free and stress-assisted aging of bi-crystalline NiTi shape memory alloys

The phase field method was applied to study the microstructure evolution of Ni4Ti3 precipitates during stress-free and stress-assisted aging of bi-crystalline NiTi shape memory alloys （SAMs） with two different initial Ni-contents of 51.5% and 52.5% （mole fraction）, respectively. The simulation results show that, during stress-free aging of the NiTi alloy with a low supersaturation of Ni （i.e., Ti-51.5%Ni）, the Ni4Ti3 precipitates exhibit a heterogeneous distribution with a high number density of particles at the grain boundary, leaving most of the grain interiors free of precipitates; while for the NiTi alloy with a high supersaturation of Ni （i.e., Ti-52.5%Ni）, the Ni4Ti3 precipitates show a homogeneous distribution across the entire simulation system. The stress-assisted aging can give rise to homogeneous distribution of the precipitates, regardless of the initial Ni-content; however, the distribution of variant type within the two grains is heterogeneous.

Control devices incorporated with shape memory alloy

Abstract： Shape Memory Alloy （SMA） is a type of material that offers some unique characteristics for use in devices for vibration control applications. Based on SMA＇s material properties, fottr types of control devices that incorporate NiTi SMA wires are introduced in this paper, which include three types of dampers （SMA damper, SMA-MR damper and SMA-friction damper） and one kind of isolation bearing （SMA-rubber bearing）. Mechanical models of these devices and their experimental verifications are presented. To investigate the control performance of these devices, the SMA-MR damper and SMA-rubber bearing are applied to structures. The results show that the control devices could be effective in reducing the seismic response of structures.

Nonlinear dynamic characteristics and optimal control of a giant magnetostrictive film-shaped memory alloy composite plate subjected to in-plane stochastic excitation

The nonlinear dynamic characteristics and optimal control of a giant magnetostrictive film （GMF）-shaped memory alloy （SMA） composite plate subjected to in-plane stochastic excitation are studied. GMF is prepared based on an SMA plate, and combined into a GMF-SMA composite plate. The Van der Pol item is improved to explain the hysteretic phenomena of GMF and SMA, and the nonlinear dynamics model of a GMF-SMA composite cantilever plate subjected to in-plane stochastic excitation is developed. The stochastic stability of the system is analyzed, and the steady-state probability density function of the dynamic response of the system is obtained. The condition of stochastic Hopf bifurcation is discussed, the reliability function of the system is provided, and then the probability density of the first-passage time is given. Finally, the stochastic optimal control strategy is proposed by the stochastic dynamic programming method. Numerical simulation shows that the stability of the trivial solution varies with bifurcation parameters, and stochastic Hopf bifurcation appears in the process; the system＇s reliability is improved through stochastic optimal control, and the first- passage time is delayed. A GMF-SMA composite plate combines the advantages of GMF and SMA, and can reduce vibration through passive control and active control effectively. The results are helpful for the engineering applications of GMF-SMA composite plates.

Review:Recent advances in nonlinear control technologies for shape memory alloy actuators

This paper reviews recent developments in nonlinear control technologies for shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators in robotics and their related applications. SMA possesses large hysteresis, low bandwidth, slow response, and non-linear behavior, which make them difficult to control. The fast response of the SMA actuator mostly depends upon, (1) type of controller, (2) rate of addition and removal of heat, and (3) shape or form of the actuator. Though linear controllers are more desirable than nonlinear ones, the review of literature shows that the results obtained using nonlinear controllers were far better than the former one. Therefore, more emphasis is made on the nonlinear control technologies taking into account the intelligent controllers. Various forms of SMA actuator along with different heating and cooling methods are presented in this review, followed by the nonlinear control methods and the control problems encountered by the researchers.

STUDY ON THE MAGNETISM AND PHASE TRANSFORMATIONIN Fe-Mn-Si-C SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS

The hyperfine interactions of two shape memory alloys have been studied by Mossbauer effect measurement at various temperatures. The Mossbauer spectra exhibit a mag-netic change from antiferro magnetic state to paramagnetic state when the temperuture rises. The Fe-Mn-Si alloys have a small hyperfine field and silicon element increases the hyperfine field and magnetic susceptibility. Thermo-induced γ→ ε trunsforma-tions are suppressed by Neel transition and by increasing carbon content, whereas stress induced γ→ ε transformation occurs in both alloys. Antiferromagnetic spin order can suppress thermo-induced γ→εtransformations efficiently, but cannot sup-press stress induced γ → ε transformation.

Magnetic and mechanical properties of Ni–Mn–Ga/Fe–Ga ferromagnetic shape memory composite

A ferromagnetic shape memory composite of Ni-Mn-Ga and Fe-Ga was fabricated by using spark plasma sintering method. The magnetic and mechanical properties of the composite were investigated. Compared to the Ni-Mn-Ga alloy, the threshold field for magnetic-field-induced strain in the composite is clearly reduced owing to the assistance of internal stress generated from Fe-Ga. Meanwhile, the ductility has been significantly improved in the composite. A fracture strain of 26% and a compressive strength of 1600 MPa were achieved.

Martensitic Transformation and Magnetic-Field-Induced Strain in Ni-Mn-Ga-RE (RE=Tb, Sm) Alloys

The effects of microamount additions of RE (Tb, Sm) on martensitic transition, the magnetic-field-induced strain and the bending strength of highly textured polycrystalline Ni_(48)Mn_(33)Ga_(19) alloy were investigated. The experimental results show that the addition of RE elements decreases the martensitic transformation temperature and the Curie temperature. But the bending strength of Ni-Mn-Ga-RE (RE=Tb, Sm) alloys increases remarkably because of the grain refinement. As a result, Ni-Mn-Ga-RE alloys will be applied practically with higher reliability and stability due to favorable plasticity and toughness. In addition, the replacement of small amounts Ga by Tb or Sm decreases the magnetic-field-induced strain of the alloys at room temperature.

Effect of Texture on the Grain-Size-Dependent Functional Properties of NiTi Shape Memory Alloys and Texture Gradient Design:A Phase Field Study

Texture is inevitably introduced during the manufacturing of most NiTi shape memory alloys(SMAs),and the textured nanocrystalline NiTi has been extensively employed in engineering.However,the effect of texture,and the joint effect of grain size(GS)and texture on the functional properties of NiTi SMAs and the corresponding microscopic mechanisms have not been clearly understood yet.In this work,based on the phase field method,the effect of texture on the GS-dependent functional properties of NiTi SMAs,including super-elasticity(SE),one-way shape memory effect(OWSME),and stress-assisted two-way shape memory effect(SATWSME),is investigated,and the corresponding microscopic mechanisms are revealed.Moreover,the samples with discrete geometrical gradients and/or texture gradients are designed to achieve graded functional properties.The simulation results indicate that the dependence of functional properties on texture is due to the effect of crystallographic orientation on martensite transformation and reorientation,which can lead to different inelastic strains.In the designed samples with texture gradients,the stress–strain responses of sheets with various textures are different,allowing for the coordination of overall deformation of the sample by combining such sheets,with varying inelastic deformation degrees.Thus,the overall response of the sample differs from that without texture gradient,leading to the achievement of graded functional properties.The simulation results and new findings in this work contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of texture,GS,and their interaction on the functional properties of SMAs,and provide valuable reference for the design and development of SMA-based devices with desired functional properties.

DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY SYSTEM AND ITS VIBRATION CONTROL

A hysteric model is represented to describe the dependence of restoring force on deformation of pseudoelastic SMA.The dynamic response of the system is investigated by means of mathematical models.The result shows that this kind of vibration absorbing system can suppress vibration with large amplitude effectively.Furthermore,the vibration absorbing system can work in optimum state by adjusting temperature and using piezoelectric sensors and actuators.

HYSTERESIS OF PHASE TRANSFORMATION TEMPERATURE IN NiTi SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY

The relationship between structure and hysteresis of phase transformation temperature in NiTi shape memory alloy has been investigated by means of TEM observation,positron an- nihilation and electrical resistivity measurement.The sequence of hysteresis for the alloy aged under different regimes was found to be:plate martensite>R-phase>tie-like martensite. The reversible displaeement of phase boundaries of these transformations is blocked by the co- herent stress field around Ti_(11)Ni_(14)phase particles.A linear relationship between S paramet- er of positron annihilation and maximum values of temperature hysteresis showed that the mismatch dislocation and elastic stress field established by Ti_(11)Ni_(14)phase precipitation are the main factor to determine the temperature hysteresis of phase transformation in NiTi shape memory alloy.