DMTA study of a nickel-titanium wire

The nickel-titanium alloys are usually known as Shape Memory alloys because of their ability to return to some previously defined shape or size when subjected to the appropriate thermal procedure. Mechanical properties of a nickel titanium wire were investigated by DMTA using cylindrical tension mode. The Young"s modulus, the maximum strain and residual deformation have been calculated. Recovery of previously deformed samples was observed in constant stress temperature ramp tests. Relaxation stress behaviour at temperatures above the austenitic transformation has been studied. The strain and frequency ranges of linear response have been determined by dynamic experiments. Strain amplitude of 0.1% and frequency of 1 Hz have been chosen for the temperature ramp dynamic experiments. A big change between 65 and 95°C is observed in the storage modulus. The values of E' at temperatures below and above the transition are essentially constant. Finally, the effects of the frequency at different temperatures have been examined. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.