Abstract:The thermo-electric behavior of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire was presented. When the wire was electrically heated above its transformation temperature by current, a large mechanical force is exerted due to transformation in its phases. In order to make use of SMA wire as an actuator, different parameters and their relationships were investigated. These parameters are recoverable strain (displacement), temperature hysteresis and electrical resistance variation under different stress levels. Optimum safe heating current was assessed and phase transformation temperatures were estimated by heat transfer model. The wire was heated and cooled by 680 mA of current for 796 s under natural air convection. The strain recovered is 4.33% and corresponding change in resistance is 11.2% at 43 MPa of stress. The resistance variation shows linearly with displacement and current during heating and cooling cycle respectively. This study will be useful in precisely controlling of SMA wire actuator with and without external sensor feedback.

Key words: shape memory alloy; electrical resistance; phase transformation; hysteresis