Thermal Behaviour of Polymer Composite Reinforced with NiTi Shape Memory Alloys

Abstract

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are materials with metallic characteristic able to recover a geometric shape previously established under heat effect. This differentiated property, combined with the mechanical characteristic allows its use in many industrial situations. Active composites are produced with the polymeric matrix and wire of shape memory alloy, combining the elastic properties of the composite and characteristics of the phase transformation, martensite and austenite of SMA with memory alloy effect. The phase transformations that occur in the alloy are thermal processes, characterized by an increase in temperature during processing. The heat is transmitted for matrix, resulting in loss of mechanical properties of the composite. In this context, this paper aims to numerically analyze heat transfer in an epoxy resin polymer matrix incorporating Ni-Ti alloy wire with shape memory effect using ANSYS CFX software.

Resin Injection Process in the Manufacture of a Polymer Composite Reinforced with NiTi Ribbons: A CFD Analysis

“…The research is focused on the analyses of mechanical effects and interphase adhesion (SMA-Matrix), caused by the phase transition. Studies related to prediction the thermomechanical behavior, thermal behavior, fabrication and characterization of composites and nanocomposites reinforced by SMA alloys have also been reported in the literature [13][14][15][16][17][18].…”