ADAPTIVE MATERIALS USING MAGNETOSTRICTIVE ACTUATION

A NEW CLASS OF ADAPTIVE MATERIALS IS PROPOSED THAT USES MAGNETOSTRICTIVE ACTUATION AND PROVIDES A SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE TO PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS NOW UNDER DEVELOPMENT. A UNIQUE CHARACTERISTIC OF MAGNETOSTRICTIVE MATERIALS IS THE CONTACTLESS TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE MATERIAL, THROUGH MAGNETIC FIELDS. THIS FREEDOM TO PHYSICALLY SEPARATE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FROM THE ACTUATOR MATERIAL HAS THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES: 1. ELIMINATION OF BULKY AND UNRELIABLE EMBEDDED POWER OR SENSORLEADS, 2. ELIMINATION OF SHORTING BY CONDUCTIVE LAMINATIONS,3. PHYSICAL CONTINUITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE ACTUATOR LAMINATION IS UNNECESSARY, AND 4. GREATER SHAPE FLEXIBILITY BY USING MAGNETIC FIELD ALTERATIONS. MANY MAGNETOSTRICTIVE MATERIALS HAVE THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF FAVORABLE PHYSICALPROPERTIES THAT ARE OFTEN LACKING IN PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS, SUCH AS TOUGHNESS, DUCTILITY, AND STABLE PROPERTIES. IN PHASE I CANDIDATE MAGNETOSTRICTIVE MATERIALSWILL BE IDENTIFIED AND VARIOUS MAGNETOSTRICTIVE MATERIAL ANDFIELD PRODUCING GEOMETRIES WILL BE ANALYZED. PROOF OF CONCEPT SAMPLES WILL BE FABRICATED AND TESTED FOR PROPERTIESOF IMPORTANCE TO ADAPTIVE MATERIALS. IN PHASE II PROMISING MAGNETOSTRICTIVE ADAPTIVE MATERIALS WILL BE CHARACTERIZED, VALIDATED, AND INTEGRATED INTO A STRUCTURE FOR EVALUATION OFDAMPING, MOTION AND SHAPE CONTROL. ADAPTIVE MATERIALS BASEDON MAGNETOSTRICTIVE ACTUATION OFFER IMPROVED RELIABILITY, MAINTAINABILITY, AND FLEXIBILITY OVER EXISTING MATERIALS.