To date the commercial use of shape memory alloys (SMAs) has been mostly limited to binary NiTi alloys with transformation temperatures approximately in the -100 to 100 ºC range. In an ongoing effort to develop high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs), ternary and quaternary additions are being made to binary NiTi to form NiTi-X (e.g., X: Pd, Pt, Au and Hf) alloys. Stability and repeatability can be further increased at these higher temperatures by limiting the stress, but the tradeoff is reduced work output and stroke. However, HTSMAs operating at decreased stresses can still be used effectively in actuator applications that require large strokes when used in the form of springs. The overall objective of this work is to facilitate the development of HTSMAs for use as high-force actuators in active/adaptive aerospace structures. A modular test setup was assembled with the objective of acquiring stroke, stress, temperature and moment data in real time during joule heating and forced convective cooling of Ni19.5Ti50.5Pd25Pt5 HTSMA springs. The spring actuators were evaluated under both monotonic axial loading and thermomechanical cycling. The role of rotational constraints (i.e., by restricting rotation or allowing for free rotation at the ends of the springs) on stroke performance was also assessed. Recognizing that evolution in the material microstructure results in changes in geometry and vice versa in HTSMA springs, the objective of the present study also included assessing the contributions from the material microstructural evolution, by eliminating contributions from changes in geometry, to overall HTSMA spring performance. The finite element method (FEM) was used to support the analytical analyses and provided further insight into the behavior and heterogeneous stress states that exist in these spring actuators. iv Furthermore, with the goal of improving dimensional stability there is a need to better understand the microstructural evolution in HTSMAs that contributes to irrecoverable strains. Towards this goal, available Ni29.5Ti50.5Pd20 neutron diffraction data (from a comparable HTMSA alloy without the solid solution strengthening offered by the Pt addition) were analyzed. The data was obtained from in situ neutron diffraction experiments performed on Ni29.5Ti50.5Pd20 during compressive loading while heating/cooling, using the Spectrometer for Materials Research at Temperature and Stress (SMARTS) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Specifically, in this work emphasis was placed on neutron diffraction data analysis via Rietveld refinement and capturing the texture evolution through inverse pole figures. Such analyses provided quantitative information on the evolution of lattice strain, phase volume fraction (including retained martensite that exists above the austenite finish temperature) and texture (martensite variant reorientation and detwinning) under temperature and stress. Financial support for this work from NASA’s Fundamental Aeronautics Program Supersonics Project (NNX08AB51A), Subsonic Fixed Wing Program (NNX11AI57A) and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP) is gratefully acknowledged. It benefited additionally from the use of the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is funded by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences (Department of Energy) and is operated by Los Alamos National Security LLC under DOE Contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

The unique ability of shape memory alloys (SMAs) to remember and recover their original shape after large deformation offers vast potential for their integration in advanced engineering applications. SMAs can generate recoverable shape changes of several percent strain even when opposed by large stresses owing to reversible deformation mechanisms such as twinning and stress-induced martensite. For the most part, these alloys have been largely used in the biomedical industry but with limited application in other fields. This limitation arises from the complexities of prevailing microstructural mechanisms that lead to dimensional instabilities during repeated thermomechanical cycling. Most of these mechanisms are still not fully understood, and for the most part unexplored. The objective of this work was to investigate these deformation and transformation mechanisms that operate within the low temperature martensite and high temperature austenite phases, and changes between these two states during thermomechanical cycling. This was accomplished by combined experimental and modeling efforts aided by an in situ neutron diffraction technique at stress and temperature. The primary focus was to investigate the thermomechanical response of a polycrystalline Ni49.9Ti50.1 (in at.%) shape memory alloy under uniaxial deformation conditions. Starting with the deformation of the cubic austenitic phase, the microstructural mechanisms responsible for the macroscopic inelastic strains during isothermal loading were investigated over a broad range of conditions. Stress-induced martensite, retained martensite, deformation twinning and slip processes were observed which helped in constructing a deformation map that contained the iv limits over which each of the identified mechanisms was dominant. Deformation of the monoclinic martensitic phase was also investigated where the microstructural changes (texture, lattice strains, and phase fractions) during room-temperature deformation and subsequent thermal cycling were captured and compared to the bulk macroscopic response of the alloy. This isothermal deformation was found to be a quick and efficient method for creating a strong and stable two-way shape memory effect. The evolution of inelastic strains with thermomechanical cycling of the same NiTi alloy, as it relates to the alloy stability, was also studied. The role of pre-loading the material in the austenite phase versus the martensite phase as a function of the active deformation modes (deformation processes as revealed in this work) were investigated from a macroscopic and microstructural perspective. The unique contribution from this work was the optimization of the transformation properties (e.g., actuation strain) as a function of deformation levels and pre-loading temperatures. Finally, the process used to set actuators, referred to as shape setting, was investigated while examining the bulk polycrystalline NiTi and the microstructure simultaneously through in situ neutron diffraction at stress and temperature. Knowledge gained from the binary NiTi study was extended to the investigation of a ternary Ni-rich Ni50.3Ti29.7Hf20 (in at.%) for use in high-temperature, high-force actuator applications. This alloy exhibited excellent dimensional stability and high work output that were attributed to a coherent, nanometer size precipitate phase that resulted from an aging treatment. Finally, work was initiated as part of this dissertation to develop sample environment equipment with multiaxial capabilities at elevated temperatures for the in situ neutron diffraction measurements of shape memory alloys on the VULCAN Diffractometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The developed capability will immediately aid in making rapid multiaxial v measurements on shape memory alloys wherein the texture, strain and phase fraction evolution are followed with changes in temperature and stress. This work was supported by funding from the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Supersonics Project including (Grant No. NNX08AB51A). This work has also benefited from the use of the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at LANSCE, which is funded by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences DOE. LANL is operated by Los Alamos National Security LLC under DOE Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Shape memory alloys are incorporated as actuator elements due to their inherent ability to sense a change in temperature and actuate against external loads by undergoing a shape change as a result of a temperature-induced phase transformation. The cubic so-called austenite to the trigonal so-called R-phase transformation in NiTiFe shape memory alloys offers a practical temperature range for actuator operation at low temperatures, as it exhibits a narrow temperature-hysteresis with a desirable fatigue response. Overall, this work is an investigation of selected science and engineering aspects of low temperature NiTiFe shape memory alloys. The scientific study was performed using in situ neutron diffraction measurements at the newly developed low temperature loading capability on the Spectrometer for Materials Research at Temperature and Stress (SMARTS) at Los Alamos National Laboratory and encompasses three aspects of the behavior of Ni46.8Ti50Fe3.2 at 92 K (the lowest steady state temperature attainable with the capability). First, in order to study deformation mechanisms in the R-phase in NiTiFe, measurements were performed at a constant temperature of 92 K under external loading. Second, with the objective of examining NiTiFe in one-time, high-stroke, actuator applications (such as in safety valves), a NiTiFe sample was strained to approximately 5% (the R-phase was transformed to B19' phase in the process) at 92 K and subsequently heated to full strain recovery under a load. Third, with the objective of examining NiTiFe in cyclic, low-stroke, actuator applications (such as in cryogenic thermal switches), a NiTiFe sample was strained to 1% at 92 K and subsequently heated to full strain recovery under load. Neutron diffraction spectra were recorded at selected time and stress intervals during these experiments. The spectra were subsequently used to obtain quantitative information related to the phase-specific strain, texture and phase fraction evolution using the Rietveld technique. The mechanical characterization of NiTiFe alloys using the cryogenic capability at SMARTS provided considerable insight into the mechanisms of phase transformation and twinning at cryogenic temperatures. Both mechanisms contribute to shape memory and pseudoelasticity phenomena. Three phases (R, B19' and B33 phases) were found to coexist at 92 K in the unloaded condition (nominal holding stress of 8 MPa). For the first time the elastic modulus of R-phase was reported from neutron diffraction experiments. Furthermore, for the first time a base-centered orthorhombic (B33) martensitic phase was identified experimentally in a NiTi-based shape memory alloy. The orthorhombic B33 phase has been theoretically predicted in NiTi from density function theory (DFT) calculations but hitherto has never been observed experimentally. The orthorhombic B33 phase was observed while observing shifting of a peak (identified to be B33) between the R and B19' peaks in the diffraction spectra collected during loading. Given the existing ambiguity in the published literature as to whether the trigonal R-phase belongs to the P3 or P space groups, Rietveld analyses were separately carried out incorporating the symmetries associated with both space groups and the impact of this choice evaluated. The constrained recovery of the B19' phase to the R-phase recorded approximately 4% strain recovery between 150 K and 170 K, with half of that recovery occurring between 160 K and 162 K. Additionally, the aforementioned research methodology developed for Ni46.8Ti50Fe3.2 shape memory alloys was applied to experiments performed on a new high temperature Ni29.5Ti50.5Pd20 shape memory alloys. The engineering aspect focused on the development of (i) a NiTiFe based thermal conduction switch that minimized the heat gradient across the shape memory actuator element, (ii) a NiTiFe based thermal conduction switch that incorporated the actuator element in the form of helical springs, and (iii) a NiTi based release mechanism. Patents are being filed for all the three shape memory actuators developed as a part of this work. This work was supported by grants from SRI, NASA (NAG3-2751) and NSF (CAREER DMR-0239512) to UCF. Additionally, this work benefited from the use of the Lujan Center at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, funded by the United States Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

Soft robots have been used in a wide range of applications from robotic and mechanical engineering to medicine and biomededical field. The growing interest in soft robots comes from their good performance in environments which is not best suited for conventional rigid bodies. Soft robots utilize the compliance, adaptability and flexibility of soft materials and actuation methods to develop highly adaptive structures. Among the soft materials, elastomers are specially popular due to their wide range of elasticity and viscoelasticity. Along with elastomers, textile fabrics are also of high interest for soft robotic applications due to their bendable, flexible, and often stretchable nature. The reinforcement of elastomers with textile fibers results in so-called integrated fiber-elastomer composites (IFEC) which offer a wide variety of properties such as flexibility, strength, fracture toughness and damage resistance. The elastic properties of textile reinforced composites require smart actuators which possess adaptability and deformability. Among existing smart actuators, shape memory alloys (SMA) have been frequently adopted in flexible structures including soft robots. SMAs have sensing and actuation capabilities and are characterized by flexibility and lightness which facilitates their integration into these structures. In this dissertation, the modeling and control of soft prototypes made of IFEC are presented. Shape memory alloys are embedded in the composites for the system actuation. First, the mechanical design and production of three IFEC prototypes are described. For each prototype, a test bench including power and control electronics set-up is designed. Next, mathematical models are developed to analyze the dynamic behavior of the prototypes. The IFEC systems exhibit highly nonlinear behaviour due to SMA hysteresis. For modeling, two different approaches, namely physical modelling and system identification are adopted. In physical modeling, the SMA constitutive and heat transfer equations are incorporated with the composite deflection model. To fully develop the equations, thermal and mechanical parameters of SMA wires are identified experimentally. In the second approach, the mathematical model of the systems is derived from experimental identification and unstructured uncertainty models. Two different control techniques are proposed to compensate the nonlinear behavior of the systems and ensure a robust, fast and precise position tracking. In the first control technique, a proportional integral (PI) controller is designed through robust stability analysis. The second controller is a multivariable PI control which is designed for the prototypes that can move in more than one direction. The performance of the controllers are examined experimentally.

<p>     </p> <p>Martensitic transformation underlies the phenomena of super-elasticity within shape memory alloys and the production of advanced steels. Experimentation has demonstrated that defects and microstructural changes strongly influence this process. With simulations granting up to an atomic-level understanding of the impact that grain boundaries and precipitates have upon the solid-to-solid phase transformation. Yet the role that dislocations partake in the martensitic transformation and its microstructures remains unclear or disputed. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Therefore, we utilize large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the forward and reverse transformation of martensitic material modeled after Ni63Al37 shape via thermal cycling loading. The simulations indicate that dislocations retain martensite well above the martensite start temperature and behave as nucleation sites for the martensite. We found that a reduction in dislocation density with cycle correlated with a decrement in the Ms and As transition temperatures, in agreement with the experiment. It was found that competing martensite variants could develop stable domains as dislocation density reduced sufficiently which resulted in multi-domain structures. Furthermore, the critical nuclei size of the martensite variant was able to be extracted from our results. </p>

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