Abstract
A shape memory alloy (SMA) is an alloy which can eliminate deformation at lower temperatures and restore its original shape upon heating. SMAs have been receiving considerable attention in the research field of materials science, and their applications include robotics, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical industries. Observing the SMA’s shaping and restoration processes is important for understanding its working principles and applications. However, the transformation of its crystal structure with temperature can only be seen using special equipment, such as a transmission electron microscope (TEM), which is an expensive apparatus and the operation requires professional skills. In this study, a teaching module is designed using virtual reality (VR) technology and research results of an SMA to show its shape memory properties, shaping and restoration processes, as well as the real-life applications in an immersive and interactive way. A teaching experiment has been conducted to analyze students’ learning effectiveness using the teaching module (the experimental group) compared with that of using real SMA materials as the teaching aids (the control group). Two classes of students in the Department of Materials Science (one as the experimental group and the other as the control group) were selected as the samples by convenience sampling from a university in North Taiwan. The experimental group contained 52 students and the control group contained 70 students. A nonequivalent pretest-posttest design was adopted to explore whether the two groups had a significant difference in learning effectiveness. The experimental results reveal that the teaching module can improve the learning effectiveness significantly (p = 0.001), and the questionnaire results also show that a majority of the students had positive attitudes about the teaching module. They believed that it could increase their learning motivation and help them understand the properties and applications of the SMA.
Highlights
IntroductionIn addition to the shape memory property, shape memory alloy (SMA) are lightweight and resistant to most chemicals
Shape-memory alloy (SMA), known as memory metal or smart metal, is an alloy which can fully eliminate the deformation at a lower temperature and restore its original shape when heated.In addition to the shape memory property, shape memory alloy (SMA) are lightweight and resistant to most chemicals
The experimental results reveal that the teaching module can improve the learning effectiveness significantly (p = 0.001), and the questionnaire results show that a majority of the students had positive attitudes about the teaching module
Summary
In addition to the shape memory property, SMAs are lightweight and resistant to most chemicals. SMAs can effectively save the cost of repeated shape adjustment and extend the lifetime of a product. The user can learn the SMA properties and shape memory effects by entering the learning unit ‘Introduction to SMA’, which includes the definition of SMA and its properties, shape memory effects,. SMA’, which includes the definition of SMA and its properties, shape memory crystal of the Ni-Ti SMA (Figure 11). SMA’s shape shape memory memory properties properties by by following following the the experimental experimental procedure procedure to to observe observe the the change change of of it it crystal crystal structure structure with with temperatures temperatures (Figure (Figure 12). The user has to fold a piece of SMA wire into the shape of a ship and put it in the oven at 500 ◦ C for five hours. The ship is taken out of the oven and cooled down to room temperature
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