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Actuators
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Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition
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Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Actuator Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 4008

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hongli Ji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: piezoelectric actuators and sensors; SMA; smart structures; structural dynamics; sensing and control; structural vibration control; piezoelectric energy harvesting; adaptive aerostructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: piezoelectric sensors and actuators; smart structures; structural health monitoring; sensing and control; non-destructive testing and evaluation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Smart structures have been widely applied in aerospace, civil engineering, ship, automobile, water conservancy, and many other industries. The realization of intelligent functions depends on the development of sensors, actuators, controllers, etc. Shape memory alloys and piezoelectric materials are some of the most used materials in this regard, which play important roles in the applications of smart structures because of their many advantages. Much work has been conducted in both theoretical and experimental studies on shape memory alloys and piezoelectric actuators. For example, in theoretical research, the modeling of 3D shape memory alloys and the preparation of high-performance flexible piezoelectric actuators have achieved promising results. In terms of applications, shape memory alloys are used to deform aircraft structures in specific ways to optimize the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft, and piezoelectric materials are used as sensors and actuators for structural health monitoring, as well as vibration and noise control etc. To encourage further understanding and development of these two materials, this Special Issue aims to collect original and innovative papers on topics including, but not limited to, the preparation, analysis, and modeling of various types of shape memory alloys and piezoelectric actuators and their applications in smart structures. Theoretical, numerical, and experimental contributions are equally welcome.

Prof. Dr. Hongli Ji
Dr. Chao Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • shape memory alloys
  • piezoelectric materials
  • modeling of 3D SMA
  • modeling of flexible piezoelectric intelligent structure with large deformation
  • adaptive aerostructures
  • piezoelectric energy harvesting
  • vibration and noise control
  • precision drive
  • structural health monitoring

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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20 pages, 2636 KiB  
Article
Dynamics of a Self-Excited Vibrating Thermal Energy Harvester with Shape Memory Alloys and PVDF Cantilevers
by Ivo Yotov, Georgi Todorov, Elitsa Gieva and Todor Todorov
Actuators 2025, 14(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/act14010008 - 30 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 775
Abstract
This paper discusses the dynamics of a novel energy harvester that converts heat into mechanical vibrations of two polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric cantilevers that generate electrical energy using a shape memory alloy (SMA) filament. The vibrations are generated by a symmetrical system of [...] Read more.
This paper discusses the dynamics of a novel energy harvester that converts heat into mechanical vibrations of two polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric cantilevers that generate electrical energy using a shape memory alloy (SMA) filament. The vibrations are generated by a symmetrical system of two masses placed on the SMA filament, which moves transversely due to its own longitudinal temperature contractions and extensions. Temperature differences over a heat source of constant temperature are the cause of the periodic changes in length of the SMA filament. An experimental setup was created to study the harvester by measuring the mass displacements and electrical voltages generated by the piezoelectric cantilevers. Data were obtained on the dependence of the output voltage and power on the load resistance of the consumer. The experimental results are validated by a multiphysics dynamical model, taking into account the relationships between the mechanical, thermal and electrical domains. The vibrational modeling of the SMA filament takes into account the hysteresis properties and their characteristics when the time gradient changes, leading to the appearance of minor and sub-minor hysteresis. Research has shown that from a heater with a constant temperature of 70 °C, the maximum power obtained is 3.6 μW at a load resistance of 4 MΩ, and a maximum voltage of 5.8 V was generated at a load resistance of 13 MΩ. An important feature of the proposed design is the possibility of miniaturizing the mechanical system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 5607 KiB  
Article
Design of a High-Voltage Miniaturized Control System for Macro Fiber Composites Actuators
by Zhida Liu, Hongli Ji, Yipeng Wu, Chao Zhang, Chongcong Tao and Jinhao Qiu
Actuators 2024, 13(12), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13120509 - 9 Dec 2024
Viewed by 729
Abstract
Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs) exhibit significant potential in active control applications. These include vibration control for unmanned aerial vehicle wings and helicopter rotors. However, the high-voltage drive requirements of MFCs present challenges. The miniaturization of the controller is a mandatory condition in order [...] Read more.
Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs) exhibit significant potential in active control applications. These include vibration control for unmanned aerial vehicle wings and helicopter rotors. However, the high-voltage drive requirements of MFCs present challenges. The miniaturization of the controller is a mandatory condition in order not to affect the overall space utilization. Thus, this paper presents a specialized miniaturized high-voltage control system designed specifically for MFC actuators. The proposed system employs a mixed analog-digital modulation method (ADM). This method precisely regulates a discontinuous conduction mode flyback switch-mode power supply operating in current mode. The system achieves an adjustable high-voltage output range of -500 V to 1500 V. The mixed control system consists of several components. These include a switching power supply, a voltage divider circuit, a bleeder circuit, and a digital controller. Additionally, this high-voltage control system integrates with a Simulink software environment. The system is compact and lightweight. It also features high load capacity, high power, and excellent dynamic response. Moreover, it offers real-time control capabilities. Experimental validation on a high-aspect-ratio wing demonstrates that this control system achieves a vibration reduction effect of 65%. The miniaturized control system provides a valuable research base for vibration control studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 16248 KiB  
Article
Design and Prototype Testing of a Smart SMA Actuator for UAV Foldable Tail Wings
by Yan Cheng, Jun Wang, Rui Li, Xiaojun Gu, Yahui Zhang, Jihong Zhu and Weihong Zhang
Actuators 2024, 13(12), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13120499 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 922
Abstract
The foldable tail wing system of UAVs offers advantages such as reducing the envelope size and improving storage space utilization. However, due to the compact tail wing space, achieving multi-modal locking and unlocking functionality presents significant challenges. This paper designs a new smart [...] Read more.
The foldable tail wing system of UAVs offers advantages such as reducing the envelope size and improving storage space utilization. However, due to the compact tail wing space, achieving multi-modal locking and unlocking functionality presents significant challenges. This paper designs a new smart SMA actuator for the use of UAV foldable tail wings. The prototype testing demonstrated the advantages and engineering practicality of the actuator. The core content includes three main parts: thermomechanical testing of the SMA actuation performance, structural design of the actuator, and the fabrication and actuation testing of the prototype. The key parameters related to actuation performance, such as phase transformation temperature and actuation force, were determined through DSC and tensile testing. The geometric parameters of the tail wing were determined through kinetics and kinematic analyses. Through the linkage design of two kinematic pairs, the SMA actuator enables both the deployment and locking of the tail wing. The prototype testing results of the folding tail wing show that, after vibration and temperature variation tests, the SMA actuator is still able to output an actuation stroke of 2.15 mm within 20 ms. The SMA actuator integrates locking for both modes of the tail wing and unlocking during mode transitions, offering advantages such as fast response and minimal space requirements. It provides an effective solution tailored to the needs of the foldable tail wing system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 3356 KiB  
Article
The Potential of Shape Memory Alloys in Riveting Applications
by Edgar Camacho, Patrícia Freitas Rodrigues and Francisco Manuel Braz Fernandes
Actuators 2024, 13(11), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13110465 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1099
Abstract
This study explores the use of shape memory alloys, specifically nickel-titanium (NiTi- Ti-rich), in plate joining processes through riveting. Through the shape memory effect (SME), SMAs offer innovative solutions for joining components, mainly in the aeronautical and aerospace fields, indicating their promising applications. [...] Read more.
This study explores the use of shape memory alloys, specifically nickel-titanium (NiTi- Ti-rich), in plate joining processes through riveting. Through the shape memory effect (SME), SMAs offer innovative solutions for joining components, mainly in the aeronautical and aerospace fields, indicating their promising applications. This research presents several characterizations, including differential scanning calorimetry, compression dilatometry, X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, and thermomechanical testing, to assess the feasibility and performance of shape memory alloy rivets. In addition, the samples were subjected to recrystallization heat treatment to evaluate their reusability. The results demonstrated that shape memory alloy rivets are effective, achieving a maximum load of 340 N for two joined components. However, their application is optimal for materials with yield strengths lower than the stress-induced SME. Moreover, the process enhances the joined components’ hardening and increases the rivet’s thermal hysteresis. This research confirms the viability of shape memory alloys for riveting processes, offering a new avenue for advanced joining techniques. The findings provide a foundation for their further development and application in various industries requiring precise and reliable joining methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric Materials and Their Applications—2nd Edition)
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