High performance shape memory effect in nitinol wire for actuators with increased operating temperature range

In this research, the high performance shape memory effect (HP-SME) is experimented on a shape memory NiTi wire, with austenite finish temperature higher than room temperature. The HP-SME consists in the thermal cycling of stress induced martensite and it allows achieving mechanical work higher than that produced by conventional shape memory actuators based on the heating/cooling of detwinned martensite. The Nitinol wire was able to recover about 5.5% of deformation under a stress of 600 MPa and to withstand about 5000 cycles before failure. HP-SME path increased the operating temperature of the shape memory actuator wire. Functioning temperatures higher than 100°C was reached. © 2014 World Scientific Publishing Company.