A half a decade timeline of shape memory alloys in modeling and applications

Abstract

To unlock the lock of futuristic developments, nowadays shape memory alloys (SMAs) are acting as key by outnumbering the existing smart materials in view of new design competence, innovative techniques, enhanced technologies, and meeting the dire need according to the demand of ongoing scientific and industrial progress. Undoubtedly, it can be worthy to associate SMAs with the term polymorphism, as they possess unique capability to encapsulate multitudinous inherent characteristics under their name. Shape memory effect, superelasticity, and damping are there to name a few among many others, as prime indicators. The exhibition of these characteristics of SMAs is due to the transformation that takes place between austenite phase and martensite phase which is achieved either by temperature or stress variation. The fascinating characteristics they possess enable them to attract researchers and designers toward their potential applications in diverse domain as smart and multi-functional materials. The present work focuses on the review of research works accomplished in the recent 5 years pertaining to modeling and applications of shape memory alloys in distinct domains. Under the topic of modeling, a look into the research carried out on a variety of SMA structures—like functionally graded SMAs, SMA springs, porous SMAs, novel SMA actuators—is presented. In addition to this, the work carried out to represent SMAs with large strains and large rotations and to model polycrystalline SMAs is also covered. This is supplemented by application-oriented domains, each of which disseminates the attributes of SMAs that are self-sufficient to express what factors make SMAs more prominent. It is believed that the foregoing works comprehensively detailed in this review article will certainly lay a solid platform for the future investigations that are going to take place in time to come.