A New Method for Fabricating SMA Smart Polymer Matrix Composites

Shape memory alloy (SMA) smart hybrid composites have attracted great attention in recent years as one of the promising smart structures. But until now, special fixture jigs or molds had to be used for constraining TiNi wires during the fabrication process. This makes the fabrication process of TiNi hybrid composites very complex, and restricts the shape and size of fabricated hybrid composites. Here the authors demonstrate a new, simple, and effective method to fabricate TiNi hybrid composites. This method allows the fabrication of TiNi hybrid composites in any shape and size just as the fabrication of ordinary advanced composites such as CFRP and GFRP.