Two-Way Bending Properties of Shape Memory Composite with SMA and SMP

A shape memory composite (SMC) was fabricated with a shape memory alloy (SMA) and a shape memory polymer (SMP), and its two-way bending deformation and recovery force were investigated. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: (1) two kinds of SMA tapes which show the shape memory effect (SME) and superelasticity (SE) were heat-treated to memorize the round shape. The shape-memorized round SMA tapes were arranged facing in the opposite directions and were sandwiched between the SMP sheets. The SMC belt can be fabricated by using the appropriate factors: the number of SMP sheets, the pressing force, the heating temperature and the hold time. (2) The two-way bending deformation with an angle of 56 degrees in the fabricated SMC belt is observed based on the SME and SE of the SMA tapes during heating and cooling. (3) If the SMC belt is heated and cooled by keeping the bent form, the recovery force increases during heating and degreases during cooling based on the two-way properties of the SMC. (4) The development and application of high-functional SMCs are expected by the combination of the SMA and the SMP with various kinds of phase transformation temperatures, volume fractions, configurations and heating-cooling rates.