Deformation, Mechanisms and Other Characteristics of Shape Memory Alloys

Abstract

Although only a curiosity a few years ago, the shape memory effect (“marmem” (1) = martensite memory effect) is now a field of intense investigation which has reached a maturity level high enough to warrant an international conference devoted to the subject alone. At one time, the “uncoiling wire experiment” was used to amuse various audiences, small and large, and I, and many colleagues as well, have had fun with “Nitinol” in front of prospective metallurgy students and others who once thought that the primary function of a metallurgist was in the steel mill. In the past few years, we have seen the list of memory materials getting longer and longer, patents being issued, and useful devices fashioned. There is now thought about using the shape memory effect (SME) for energy conversion, and several “engine” prototypes have been built.