Exploratory Development of Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloy Material System for Actuators

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating high-performance ferromagnetic shape memory composites (FSMCs) that offer fast response, compact size, reliability, and cost effectiveness for application as solid-state actuator systems for naval aircraft applications. Our approach includes two innovative ideas for improving actuator performance: the use of specially designed composite structures and the use of magnetic field gradient actuation. Unlike other ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMA), our proposed FSMCs are composed of a ferromagnetic component and a shape memory alloy (SMA) component. We propose to fabricate and explore three types of FSMCs: granular, layered, and wire composite with a rectangular cross section. As part of the project, we will design and construct an electromagnet to generate strong magnetic field gradients to exert a force on the ferromagnet (FM). Such a force will further exert a stress in the superelastic SMA which is coupled to the FM, resulting in a stress-induced martensite transformation (SIM). The martensitic phase, with its low Young's modulus, exhibits a large shape deformation under a magnetic force, enabling fast, robust, and reliable solid-state actuators.