Issue 23

R. Casati et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 23 (2013) 7-12; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.23.01

Scilla 2012 - The Italian research on smart materials and MEMS

On the preparation and characterization of thin NiTi shape memory alloy wires for MEMS

Riccardo Casati, Maurizio Vedani Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via La Masa 34, Milano, Italy Syed A. M. Tofail, Calum Dikinson Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland Ausonio Tuissi National Research Council (CNR-IENI), Corso Promessi Sposi 29, Lecco, Italy

A BSTRACT . Shape memory alloy (SMA) wires are employed as actuators in small devices for consumer electronics, valves and automotive applications. Because of the continued miniaturization of all the industrial products, nowadays the tendency is to produce MEMS (micro electromechanical systems). Among the most promising functional MEMS materials, the thin SMA wires that are offering a rapid actuating response with high power/weigh ratio of the material, are attracting a world wide interest. This paper is aimed at showing the production process and the characterizations of thin NiTi shape memory wires. The activity was focused on drawing procedure and on functional and TEM characterizations of the final products. In particular, it was evaluated the performance of the SMA wires for actuators in terms of functional fatigue and thermo-mechanical properties by means of an experimental apparatus design ad hoc for these specific tests. K EYWORDS . Shape memory alloys; SMA; MEMS; Thin wire; Actuators; TEM. MAs are basically functional materials which exhibit peculiar thermo-mechanical properties such as the Shape Memory Effect and the Superelasticity. These properties are consequence of a reversible thermo-elastic martensitic transformation occurring at the solid state [1]. Because the martensite phase shows a strong amplitude-dependent internal friction, SMA have also an high damping capacity [2, 3]. When SMA is used as actuator, it can be classified as “ Smart Material” because it combines both sensor and actuator functions. SMA alloys are applied with success in several commercial fields: biomedical (stents, orthodontic arc wire, orthopaedics devices, surgical tools); sensor/actuator (valves, active actuators, on/off devices); coupling (pipe fastener, electric fastener); sport; manufactures; antennas, gadgets etc. [4,5]. In the modern world, great emphasis has been placed in miniaturization and huge research efforts are oriented to develop MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) to perform a multitude of tasks [6]. Among MEMS materials the SMA, in form of films or thin wires, are attracting a particular interest for the development of new highly functionalized devices on micro/meso scale [7-10]. SMA elements are characterized by a significant amount of actuation with an extremely small total volume over conventional actuator mechanisms. Another advantage that shape memory alloys have is the versatility since they can be actuated thermally or electrically [7-10]. In this work, Ti rich NiTi alloy, with high transformation temperatures, is produced by vacuum induction melting and thin wire are manufactured by hot and cold working. The main processing aspects of thin NiTi wire manufacturing are reported with specific reference to the effect S I NTRODUCTION

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