Low hysteresis shape memory alloys for mechanical actuation and thermal management systems

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of advanced materials known for their unique functional properties: shape memory, superelasticity, and actuation. These “smart” materials respond to external stimuli by acting like an on/off switch by “remembering” and returning to their original shape. These behaviors have inspired a wide diversity of technological breakthroughs. For example, NASA’s implementation of SMAs for space missions include the Shape Memory Alloy Rock Splitters (SMARS), the Spring Tire, the Shape Memory Alloys for Regulating Thermal Control System (TCS) in Space (SMARTS) project, and more. The unique properties of SMAs come from a complex microstructure evolution, and, due to this complexity, fundamental knowledge gaps regarding hysteresis and functional fatigue continue to be a barrier to the cycle lifetime demands of these technologies. These challenges are highlighted in the 2015 NASA Technology Roadmaps, as is the need for new materials characterization methods to elucidate these knowledge gaps. The goal of this proposal is to understand hysteresis and functional fatigue in SMAs by characterizing their microstructural origins. The approach is to characterize the cyclic activation of SMA microstructures by resolving the hierarchical nature of martensitic phase transformations in situ, in 3D, and across five orders of magnitude in length scale (100 nm to 1 mm), from the 3D morphology of martensitic microstructures, to the stress fields at interfacial interfaces, to the generation of individual dislocations. This multiscale approach will be achieved using multimodal 3D/4D in-situ characterization with Dark Field X-Ray Microscopy (DFXM) and X-Ray Topotomography (XRTT). The results will be integrated with theory to provide new knowledge and concrete tools for modeling SMA hysteresis and functional fatigue. The expected outcome is a new framework for understanding hysteresis and functional fatigue that leads to the design of superior SMAs for novel NASA space mission technologies.

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