Shape memory alloys when deformed can produce strains as high as 8%. Heating results in a phase transformation and associated recovery of all the accumulated strain, a phenomenon known as shape memory. This strain recovery can occur against large forces, resulting in their use as actuators. The goal of this project is to lower the operating temperature range of shape memory alloys in order for them to be used in cryogenic switches, seals, valves, fluid-line repair and self-healing gaskets for space related technologies. The Ni-Ti-Fe alloy system, previously used in Grumman F-14 aircrafts and activated at 120 K, is further developed through arc-melting a range of compositions and subsequent thermo-mechanical processing. A controlled atmosphere arc-melting facility and vertical vacuum quench furnace facility was commissioned to fabricate these alloys. The facility can create a vacuum of 10-7 Torr and heat treat samples up to 977 °C. High purity powders of Ni, Ti and Fe in varying ratios were mixed and arc-melted into small buttons weighing 0.010 kg to 0.025 kg. The alloys were subjected to solutionizing and aging treatments. A combination of rolling, electro-discharge machining and low-speed cutting techniques were used to produce strips. Successful rolling experiments highlighted the workability of these alloys. The shape memory effect was successfully demonstrated at liquid nitrogen temperatures through a constrained recovery experiment that generated stresses of over 40 MPa. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and a dilatometry setup was used to characterize the fabricated materials and determine relationships between composition, thermo-mechanical processing parameters and transformation temperatures.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-1241 |
| Date | 01 January 2004 |
| Creators | Singh, Jagat |
| Publisher | STARS |
| Source Sets | University of Central Florida |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
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