Degradation of Terfenol-D particle epoxy composites under low-frequency cyclic magneto-mechanical loading at the matrix glass transition start and finish temperatures

Abstract

The present paper presents cyclic strain amplitude and longitudinal strain measurements of longitudinally compressed Terfenol-D particle samples subjected to magneto-strain cycling. A comparison is made of the responses of material strain cycle tested at temperatures near the matrix glass transition start temperature, and material strain cycle tested at a temperature near the matrix glass transition finish temperature. The cyclic strain amplitude of the material was significantly larger when tested at a temperature near the matrix glass transition finish temperature. A useful range of longitudinal applied stress exists where the composite suffers little apparent degradation. Beyond this range the composite exhibits steadily decreasing cyclic strain amplitude with increases in longitudinal compressive stress magnitude.