PREPARATION OF A SMART COMPOSITE-MATERIAL WITH TINICU SHAPE-MEMORY PARTICULATES IN AN ALUMINUM-MATRIX

A smart composite material with aluminium matrix and Ti50Ni25Cu25 shap e memory alloy particles was developed. The shape memory alloy particl es were prepared by hydrogenating-ball milling and dehydrogenating, an d the mixture of the shape memory alloy particles and the aluminium po wders were consolidated via powder metallurgy. The structures and the martensitic transformations in the TiNiCu alloy, TiNiCu particles and the aluminium matrix composite were characterized by means of X-ray di ffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and electron scanning mic roscopy. The results revealed that the TiNiCu particles and the compos ite show reversible thermoelastic martensitic transformations as in th e bulk material. The preliminary results indicate that the shape memor y alloy composite may be a promising smart composite with native sensi ng, high damping capacity and adaptive performances.