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Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials
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Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2025) | Viewed by 5286

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaobin Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Green Fabrication and Surface Technology of Advanced Metal Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China
Interests: martensitic transformation; NiTi alloys; hyperelasticity; phenomenological theory; alloys design; microstructure; nanocrystalline; size effects
Dr. Yang Shao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Interests: martensitic transformation; titianium alloys; alloys design; NiTi alloys; NiTi based composites
Dr. Jiang Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Copper and Tungsten Materials, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330029, China
Interests: martensitic transformation; NiTi alloys; hyperelasticity; NiTi based composites; alloys design
Dr. Qingkun Meng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
Interests: Ti alloys; TiNb shape memory alloys; martensitic transformation; alloys design

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Shape memory alloys (SMAs), as functional materials, are widely used in fields such as aerospace, civil engineering, and biomedical engineering. SMAs have functional properties such as the shape memory effect and superelasticity. SMAs are mainly be NiTi-based, iron-based, copper-based, magnesium-based, etc. NiTi-based SMAs are the most common. NiTi alloys are commonly used as orthodontic wires, vascular stents, esophageal stents, tube connectors, etc.

The properties of SMAs include phase transformation temperatures, hysteresis, plateau stress, recoverable strain, recovery stress, etc. The performance of SMAs is closely related to their composition and microstructure. The performance of shape memory alloys is sensitive to their composition, and changes in composition can greatly alter the phase transformation temperatures of the alloys, thereby altering their performance. The influence of microstructure includes factors such as grain size, dislocations, and precipitation.

The aim of this Special Issue is to understand the relationship between the performance and microstructure of SMAs, explore technical methods to improve the performance of SMAs, prospect the application prospects of nanocrystalline SMAs, and pay special attention to the performance and influencing factors of nanocrystalline SMAs.

Dr. Xiaobin Shi
Dr. Yang Shao
Dr. Jiang Jiang
Dr. Qingkun Meng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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
  • martensitic transformation
  • nanocrystalline alloys
  • pseudoelasticity
  • microstructures

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2695 KiB  
Article
Thermographic Investigation of Elastocaloric Behavior in Ni-Ti Sheet Elements Under Cyclic Bending
by Saeed Danaee Barforooshi, Gianmarco Bizzarri, Girolamo Costanza, Stefano Paoloni, Ilaria Porroni and Maria Elisa Tata
Materials 2025, 18(15), 3546; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18153546 - 29 Jul 2025
Abstract
Growing environmental concerns have driven increased interest in solid-state thermal technologies based on the elastocaloric properties of shape memory alloys (SMA). This work examines the elastocaloric effect (eCE) in Ni-Ti SMA sheets subjected to cyclic bending, providing quantitative thermal characterization of their behavior [...] Read more.
Growing environmental concerns have driven increased interest in solid-state thermal technologies based on the elastocaloric properties of shape memory alloys (SMA). This work examines the elastocaloric effect (eCE) in Ni-Ti SMA sheets subjected to cyclic bending, providing quantitative thermal characterization of their behavior under controlled loading conditions. The experimental investigation employed passive thermography to analyze the thermal response of Ni-Ti sheets under two deflection configurations at 1800 rpm loading. Testing revealed consistent adiabatic temperature variations (ΔTad) of 4.14 °C and 4.26 °C for the respective deflections during heating cycles, while cooling phases demonstrated efficient thermal homogenization with temperature gradients decreasing from 4.13 °C to 0.13 °C and 4.43 °C to 0.68 °C over 60 s. These findings provide systematic thermal documentation of elastocaloric behavior in bending-loaded Ni-Ti sheet elements and quantitative data on the relationship between mechanical loading parameters and thermal gradients, enhancing the experimental understanding of elastocaloric phenomena in this configuration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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21 pages, 4377 KiB  
Article
Superelasticity in Shape Memory Alloys—Experimental and Numerical Investigations of the Clamping Effect
by Jakub Bryła and Adam Martowicz
Materials 2025, 18(14), 3333; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18143333 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Loading and clamping schemes significantly influence the behavior of shape memory alloys, specifically, the course of their solid-state transformations. This paper presents experimental and numerical findings regarding the nonlinear response of samples of the above-mentioned type of smart materials observed during tensile tests. [...] Read more.
Loading and clamping schemes significantly influence the behavior of shape memory alloys, specifically, the course of their solid-state transformations. This paper presents experimental and numerical findings regarding the nonlinear response of samples of the above-mentioned type of smart materials observed during tensile tests. Hysteretic properties were studied to elucidate the superelastic behavior of the tested and modeled samples. The conducted tensile tests considered two configurations of grips, i.e., the standard one, where the jaws transversely clamp a specimen, and the customized bollard grip solution, which the authors developed to reduce local stress concentration in a specimen. The characteristic impact of the boundary conditions on the solid phase transformation in shape memory alloys, present due to the specific clamping scheme, was studied using a thermal camera and extensometer. Martensitic transformation and the plateau region in the nonlinear stress–strain characteristics were observed. The results of the numerical simulation converged to the experimental outcomes. This study explains the complex nature of the phase changes in shape memory alloys under specific boundary conditions induced by a given clamping scheme. In particular, variation in the martensitic transformation course is identified as resulting from the stress distribution observed in the specimen’s clamping area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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13 pages, 3410 KiB  
Article
Monitoring of Layered Thermoplastic Composites Using Shape Memory Alloys as Integrated Sensors for Multifunctional Lightweight Structures
by Michael Schwarz, Marius Weiler, Saravanan Palaniyappan, Steven Quirin, Maik Trautmann, Guntram Wagner and Hans-Georg Herrmann
Materials 2025, 18(13), 3193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18133193 - 6 Jul 2025
Viewed by 354
Abstract
Since lightweight design and construction safety is a crucial element in different sectors of industry, the use of SMA wires in composites could improve the monitoring and adjustment of mechanical properties starting from the product development process through to field use. This work [...] Read more.
Since lightweight design and construction safety is a crucial element in different sectors of industry, the use of SMA wires in composites could improve the monitoring and adjustment of mechanical properties starting from the product development process through to field use. This work shows how embedded SMA wires can lead to a better understanding of applied forces to a composite structure made of GFRP laminates. To achieve this, different methods will be addressed. Besides mechanical testing of the GFRP-samples with embedded SMA wires, NDT-methods like active thermography, high-frequency ultrasonic testing, and computer tomography are used to detect the SMA wires, whereby thermography and computer tomography are best suited. In this study, the location and the amount of the applied force on GFRP composites with embedded SMA wires could be characterized with relative resistance changes. It is shown that SMA wires with a diameter of 250 µm are preferred to wires with a diameter of 100 µm due to production process and better performance under load (4N force plateau for 100 µm in contrast to 25N force plateau for 250 µm wires). Furthermore, Young’s modulus of the GFRP composites with embedded SMA wires was measured and is similar for various samples with 30.8 GPa on average. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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16 pages, 5770 KiB  
Article
Effect of Aging on Superelastic Response in [001]-Oriented Single Crystals of FeNiCoAlTiNb Shape-Memory Alloys
by Li-Wei Tseng and Wei-Cheng Chen
Materials 2025, 18(12), 2842; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18122842 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 383
Abstract
In this study, the effect of aging heat treatment on the superelastic properties and microstructure of [001]-oriented Fe41Ni28Co17Al11.5Ti1.25Nb1.25 (at.%) single crystals was investigated using the cyclic superelastic strain test and a transmission [...] Read more.
In this study, the effect of aging heat treatment on the superelastic properties and microstructure of [001]-oriented Fe41Ni28Co17Al11.5Ti1.25Nb1.25 (at.%) single crystals was investigated using the cyclic superelastic strain test and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM results reveal that the average precipitate size is around 3–5 nm in the 600 °C/24 h samples, 6–8 nm in the 600 °C/48 h samples, and 10–12 nm in the 600 °C/72 h samples. The results indicate that precipitate size increases as aging time increases from 24 to 72 h. EDS analysis results show decreased Fe and increased Ni when the analyzed line crosses the precipitate region. The diffraction pattern results show that the precipitate has an L12 crystal structure. The thermo-magnetization curves of single crystals under the three aging conditions (600 °C/24 h, 600 °C/48 h, and 600 °C/72 h) show that the values of the transformation temperatures increased from 24 to 72 h. Magnetization was saturated at 140 emu/g under the magnetic field of 7 Tesla. When increasing the magnetic field from 0.05 to 7 Tesla, the transformation temperatures rose. The results indicate that magnetic fields can activate martensitic transformation. From the results of the superelasticity test at room temperature, [001]-oriented FeNiCoAlTiNb single crystals aged at 600 °C for 24, 48, and 72 h presented recoverable strains of 3%, 5.1%, and 2.6%, respectively. Digital image correlation (DIC) results of the aged samples show that two martensite variants were activated during the superelasticity test. The two variants form corresponding variant pairs (CVPs) and improve the recoverable strain of superelasticity. Although maximum recoverable strain was obtained for the 600 °C/48 h samples, the samples show poor cyclic stability at room temperature after applying the 6% strain. According to the DIC results, the retained martensite, which is pinned by dislocations, was observed after the test. The irrecoverable strain was attributed to the residual martensite. For the 600 °C/72 h samples, the large size of the precipitates poses an obstacle to dislocation transformation and formation. The dislocations increase the stress hysteresis width and stabilize the martensite, causing poor recoverability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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13 pages, 5692 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of the Impact of Loading Conditions on the Change in Thin NiTi Wire Resistance during Cyclic Stretching
by Jonasz Hartwich, Sławomir Duda, Sebastian Sławski, Marek Kciuk, Anna Woźniak and Grzegorz Gembalczyk
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4577; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184577 - 18 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1022
Abstract
This paper presents the results of an experimental study designed to evaluate the effect of repeated stretching cycles on the electrical resistance change in a NiTi alloy wire. In particular, tests were carried out to determine the effect of the type of loading [...] Read more.
This paper presents the results of an experimental study designed to evaluate the effect of repeated stretching cycles on the electrical resistance change in a NiTi alloy wire. In particular, tests were carried out to determine the effect of the type of loading on resistance change in the investigated wires. Wires with a diameter of 100 μm were used in the research. The experiment was carried out on a dedicated test stand designed for this purpose. During the test, the samples were subjected to 40 identical tensile cycles. The electrical resistance, sample elongation, and tensile force during successive stretching cycles were measured. The conducted research demonstrated the impact of elongation and reorientation of the structure on the resistance change in NiTi alloy thin wires. The research included a comparison of the effect of two different types of loading on the electrical resistance change in the sample. During cyclic stretching of a NiTi alloy sample with constant displacement, a decrease in electrical resistance was observed after each successive stretching cycle. Alternatively, when stretching with a constant force, the value of electrical resistance increased. In both types of loads, the greatest change in resistance value was observed at the initial cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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25 pages, 14064 KiB  
Article
A Novel Technique for Improving Cyclic Behavior of Steel Connections Equipped with Smart Memory Alloys
by Ali S. Alqarni, Mohammad J. Alshannag and Mahmoud M. Higazey
Materials 2024, 17(13), 3226; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133226 - 1 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1344
Abstract
Residual drifts are an important measure of post-earthquake functionality in bridges and buildings, and can determine whether the structure remains fit for its intended purpose or not. This study aims at investigating numerically, through finite element (FE) analysis in ABAQUS, the cyclic response [...] Read more.
Residual drifts are an important measure of post-earthquake functionality in bridges and buildings, and can determine whether the structure remains fit for its intended purpose or not. This study aims at investigating numerically, through finite element (FE) analysis in ABAQUS, the cyclic response of exterior steel I beam-hollow column connection using welded shape memory alloys (SMA) bolts and seat angles. This is followed by validating the numerical model using an accredited experimental data available in the literature through different techniques, (1) SMA bolts, (2) SMA angles, (3) SMA bolts and angles. The parameters investigated included: SMA type, SMA angle thickness, SMA bolt diameter, SMA angle stiffener and SMA angle direction. The cyclic performance of the steel connection was enhanced further by varying the bolt diameter, plate thickness, angle type and direction. The results revealed that the connections equipped with a combination of SMA plates and SMA angles reduced the residual drift by up to 94%, and doubled the self-centering capability compared to conventional steel connections. Moreover, the parametric analysis showed that Fe-based SMA members could be a good alternative to NiTi based SMA members for improving the self-centering capability and reducing the residual drifts of conventional steel connections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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18 pages, 2861 KiB  
Article
Regularities in the Evolution of Thermoelastic Martensitic Transformations during Cooling/Heating in the Free State and under Load of Titanium Nickelide Alloyed with Niobium
by Ekaterina S. Marchenko, Anatoly A. Klopotov, Gulsharat A. Baigonakova and Ilya A. Zhukov
Materials 2024, 17(1), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010175 - 28 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1082
Abstract
This article presents the results of studies of the features of the development of thermoelastic martensitic transformations during cooling/heating in the free state and under load of Ti50Ni49.7−XNbXMo0.3 alloys (X = 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 at% [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of studies of the features of the development of thermoelastic martensitic transformations during cooling/heating in the free state and under load of Ti50Ni49.7−XNbXMo0.3 alloys (X = 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 at% Nb) with shape memory effects. Using X-ray diffraction analysis, it was found that all the alloys studied at room temperature contained a multiphase mixture consisting of intermetallic compounds with the TiNi (B2, B19′), Ni56Ti29Nb15, and Ti2Ni compositions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the microstructure of TiNi (Nb,Mo) alloys and it was found that the distribution of fine Ni56Ti29Nb15 particles in the matrix depends significantly on the concentration of the alloying element. A correlation was established between changes in the structural-phase state in TiNi (Nb,Mo) alloys and the occurrence of the B2↔B19′ martensitic transition in the free state and under load. Based on physical and mechanical studies, the temperature ranges of the martensitic transformations (MT) in the free state and under load were established. Based on the thermodynamic description of the MT and the analysis of the characteristic temperatures of the MT, it was found that the MT mechanism is strongly dependent on the concentration of the alloying element. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology and Applications of Shape Memory Materials)
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