KEYWORDS: Foam, Finite element methods, Neodymium, Composites, Electroluminescence, Performance modeling, Chemical elements, Surface conduction electron emitter displays, Solids, Vibration control
Structural assemblies incorporating negative stiffness elements have been shown to provide both tunable damping properties and simultaneous high stiffness and damping over prescribed displacement regions. In this paper we explore the design space for negative stiffness based assemblies using analytical modeling combined with finite element analysis. A simplified spring model demonstrates the effects of element stiffness, geometry, and preloads on the damping and stiffness performance. Simplified analytical models were validated for realistic structural implementations through finite element analysis. A series of complementary experiments was conducted to compare with modeling and determine the effects of each element on the system response. The measured damping performance follows the theoretical predictions obtained by analytical modeling. We applied these concepts to a novel sandwich core structure that exhibited combined stiffness and damping properties 8 times greater than existing foam core technologies.
Current seals used for vehicle closures/swing panels are essentially flexible, frequently hollow structures whose designs
are constrained by numerous requirements, many of them competing, including door closing effort (both air bind and
seal compression), sound isolation, prevention of water leaks, and accommodation of variations in vehicle build. This
paper documents the first portion of a collaborative research study/exploration of the feasibility of and approaches for
using active materials with shape and stiffness changing attributes to produce active seal technologies, seals with
improved performance. An important design advantage of an active material approach compared to previous active seal
technologies is the distribution of active material regions throughout the seal length, which would enable continued
active function even with localized failure. Included as a major focus of this study was the assessment of polymeric
active materials because of their potential ease of integration into the current seal manufacturing process. In Part 1 of
this study, which is documented in this paper, potential materials were evaluated in terms of their cost, activation
mechanisms, and mechanical and actuation properties. Based on these properties, simple designs were proposed and
utilized to help determine which materials are best suited for active seals. Shape memory alloys (SMA) and
electroactive polymers (EAP) were judged to be the most promising.
Reconfigurable and morphing structures may provide significant improvement in overall platform performance through
optimization over broad operating conditions. The realization of this concept requires structures, which can
accommodate the large deformations necessary with modest weight and strength penalties. Other studies suggest
morphing structures need new materials to realize the benefits that morphing may provide. To help meet this need, we
have developed novel composite materials based on specially designed segmented reinforcement and shape memory
polymer matrices that provide unique combinations of deformation and stiffness properties. To tailor and optimize the
design and fabrication of these materials for particular structural applications, one must understand the envelope of
morphing material properties as a function of microstructural architecture and constituent properties. Here we extend our
previous simulations of these materials by using 3D models to predict stiffness and deformation properties in variable
stiffness segmented composite materials. To understand the effect of various geometry tradeoffs and constituent
properties on the elastic stiffness in both the high and low stiffness states, we have performed a trade study using a
commercial FEA analysis package. The modulus tensor is constructed and deformation properties are computed from
representative volume elements (RVE) in which all (6) basic loading conditions are applied. Our test matrix consisted of
four composite RVE geometries modeled using combinations of 5 SMP and 3 reinforcement elastic moduli. Effective
composite stiffness and deformation results confirm earlier evidence of the essential performance tradeoffs of reduced
stiffness for increasing reversible strain accommodation with especially heavy dependencies on matrix modulus and
microstructural architecture. Furthermore, our results show these laminar materials are generally orthotropic and indicate
that previous calculations of matrix gap and interlaminar strains based on kinematic approximations are accurate to
within 10-20% for many material systems. We compare these models with experimental results for a narrow geometry
and material set to show the accuracy of the models as compared to physical materials. Our simulations indicate that
improved shape memory polymer materials could enable a composite material that can accommodate ~30% strain with a
cold state stiffness of ~30GPa. This would improve the current state of the art 5-10x and significantly reduce the weight
and stiffness costs of using a morphing component.
Morphing or reconfigurable structures potentially allow for previously unattainable vehicle performance by
permitting several optimized structures to be achieved using a single platform. The key to enabling this technology in
applications such as aircraft wings, nozzles, and control surfaces, are new engineered materials which can achieve the
necessary deformations but limit losses in parasitic actuation mass and structural efficiency (stiffness/weight). These
materials should exhibit precise control of deformation properties and provide high stiffness when exercised through
large deformations. In this work, we build upon previous efforts in segmented reinforcement variable stiffness
composites employing shape memory polymers to create prototype hybrid composite materials that combine the benefits
of cellular materials with those of discontinuous reinforcement composites. These composites help overcome two key
challenges for shearing wing skins: the resistance to out of plane buckling from actuation induced shear deformation,
and resistance to membrane deflections resulting from distributed aerodynamic pressure loading. We designed,
fabricated, and tested composite materials intended for shear deformation and address out of plane deflections in variable
area wing skins. Our designs are based on the kinematic engineering of reinforcement platelets such that desired
microstructural kinematics is achieved through prescribed boundary conditions. We achieve this kinematic control by
etching sheets of metallic reinforcement into regular patterns of platelets and connecting ligaments. This kinematic
engineering allows optimization of materials properties for a known deformation pathway. We use mechanical analysis
and full field photogrammetry to relate local scale kinematics and strains to global deformations for both axial tension
loading and shear loading with a pinned-diamond type fixture. The Poisson ratio of the kinematically engineered
composite is ~3x higher than prototypical orthotropic variable stiffness composites. This design allows us to create
composite materials that have high stiffness in the cold state below SMP Tg (4-14GPa) and yet achieve large composite
shear strains (5-20%) in the hot state (above SMP Tg).
Morphing structures have the potential to significantly improve vehicle performance over existing fixed component
designs. In this paper, we examine new composite material design approaches to provide combined high stiffness and
large reversible deformation. These composites employ shape memory polymers (SMP) matrices combined with
segmented metallic reinforcement to create materials with variable stiffness properties and reversible accommodation of
relatively large strains. By adjusting the temperature of the sample, the storage modulus can be varied up to 200x. We
demonstrate the segmented composite concept in prototype materials made using thermoplastic polyurethane SMP
reinforced with interlocking segmented steel platelets. Measured storage moduli varied from 5-12 GPa, below SMP Tg,
and 0.1-0.5 GPa above SMP Tg. The samples demonstrated more than 95% recovery from induced axial strains of 5% at
80°C. Viscoelastic effects are dominant in this regime and we investigate the rate dependence of strain recovery.
Structures that can physically adapt to fulfill many roles can enable a new generation of high-performance military systems. The key to achieving substantial benefit from shape-changing operations is large changes in structural geometry and stiffness. In this study, we demonstrate variable stiffness cellular materials capable of large global changes in area through local buckling modes. Furthermore, stiffness properties and Poisson ratios may be tailored to provide desirable structural reconfiguration properties such as negative Poisson ratio and highly anisotropic stiffness. However, stiffness properties of cellular materials are two to three orders of magnitude below their constitutive materials properties. Their elastic properties can vary considerably as a function of the applied strain level due to the redistribution of structural material within the cells. Another complication is the difficulty in controlling the local buckling mode due to sensitivity to boundary conditions and loading conditions.
Reconfigurable and morphing structures can potentially provide a range of new functionalities including system optimization over broad operational conditions and multi-mission capability. Previous efforts in morphing surfaces have generally focused on small deformation of high stiffness structural materials (e.g. aluminum, CFRP) or large deformation of low stiffness non-structural materials (e.g. elastomers). This paper introduces a new approach to achieving large strains in materials with high elastic moduli (5 to 30+ GPa). The work centers on creating variable stiffness composite materials which exhibit a controllable change in elastic modulus (bending or axial) and large reversible strains (5-15%). Several prototype materials were prepared using a commercial shape memory polymer, and measurements on these materials indicate a controllable change in stiffness as a function of temperature along with large reversible strain accommodation. We have fabricated and tested several design variations of laminar morphing materials which exhibit structural stiffness values of 8-12 GPa, changes in modulus of 15-77x, and large reversible bending strain and recovery of 2% area change in specific sample types. Results indicate that significant controllable changes in stiffness are possible.
Mechanical testing of a bulk, single-crystal sample of Ni50Mn29Ga21 produced large hysteresis loops indicating the potential for the material to be used as a damper. Damping capacity was measured as a function of energy absorbed by the material relative to the mechanical energy input to the system. Tan delta, the tangent of the phase lag between stress and strain, was calculated and shown to increase as a function of maximum strain level. Five strain levels were evaluated (1%, 2%, 3%, 3.5%, and 3.7%) with tan delta values increasing from 0.6 at 1% strain level to 1.1 at 3.7% strain level. The secant modulus of these curves was also evaluated at each strain level to characterize the sample in terms of both damping and stiffness. The maximum secant modulus of 285 MPa occurred at the 1% strain level and decreased to 56 MPa at 3.7% strain. Examining the stress and strain values in the time domain reveals a varying time lag and thus the reported values for tan d are considered an average measure of the material's damping capacity.
Field-induced strains up to 10% at room temperature have been observed in magnetic shaep memory alloys based on off-stoichiometric compositions of the intermetallic compound Ni2MnGa. This occurs by the motion of twin boundaries in the ferromagnetic martensitic state under magnetic fields of a few kOe. Some data illustrating the interdependence of strain, stress, and magnetic field are reviewed. Phenomenological models describe many of these observations by minimization of free energy terms including Zeeman energy, magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy, stored elastic energy and fractional twin-boundary distribution. Two important questions have been raised about field-induced strain in FSMAs. They are 1) the role of body forces (due to action of the field on the sample), and 2) the role of magnetostriction (stress/strain in a single variant under magnetization rotation) in the twin boundary motion. These questions are addressed in light of published data and models.
Magnetic-field-induced strain in single crystals of Ni-Mn-Ga magnetic shape memory alloys were studied under cyclic field conditions using a compression spring to reset the sample as H→0. Low frequency actuation strain of 2.5% degraded to about 1.5% at an actuation frequency of 500 Hz. Two resonant-like features appear in the ε(f) data, which appear to correspond to a broad test system resonance (100-200Hz) and a sample longitudinal resonance near 350 Hz. The relative phase of field and strain support the assignment of the 350 Hz resonance to the sample.
The dynamic field-induced strain response at 2Hz is reported for a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA), Ni49.8Mn28.5Ga21.7. For the d31 actuation mode, longitudinal strain response was measured as a function of longitudinally applied bias stress and transverse applied field. Under a 1.5MPa compressive bias stress, dynamic strains of 2.6% were achieved at fields of 6 kOe. However, dynamic field-induced strain is largely blocked under a compressive bias stress of 4.2MPa. The 'coercive field' hysteresis in the field versus strain loops was observed to be as low as 100kA/m at 1.5MPa and increase linearly at greater stresses. Peak piezomagnetic d31 coefficients measured from these field versus strain loops approached 1.3 X 10-7 m/A. Dynamic stress versus strain loops were recorded for compressive bias stresses from 0 to 4.2MPa. Stiffnesses of approximately 40MPa in the active twinning stress range were recorded, and the stiffness approached 5 times the twinning stiffness beyond the twinning range. The mechanical loss measured in stress versus strain loops, when normalized to the output strain, resulted in a linear increase of 6.84 kJ/m3 per MPa bias stress. Current investigations are attempting to isolate the factors that contribute to the extraordinary behavior exhibited in these properties of the Ni-Mn-Ga system.
Micro magnetic and analytic models have been sued to describe the equilibrium twin structure and quasistatic actuation behavior of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys. However, these models do not incorporate microscopic aspects of the twin-boundary strain field, interactions with defects or non-equilibrium behavior. A model is described that accounts for the interaction of a 90 degree domain wall with such a twin boundary. Application of a magnetic field can displace the domain wall from a pinned twin boundary with the Zeeman energy being stored elastically in the domain- wall anisotorpy energy. Finally, the departure of the magnetization and twin structure from equilibrium configurations can be incorporated in thermodynamic models to describe AC behavior and hysteresis.
Very large DC field-induced strains ((epsilon) approximately equals 6%) have been reported for Ni-Mn-Ga single-crystal ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs) at room temperature. Described here is an AC test system that provides a dynamic bias stress to an FSMA sample. The low- frequency (epsilon) -H curves show a stress dependence consistent with the DC results, i.e. the maximum output strain peaks for a bias stress of order 1.4 Mpa. The AC (epsilon) -H hysteresis at sub-optimal bias stress can be considerably smaller than that for DC actuation. A thermodynamic model of field-induced twin-boundary motion is expanded to include external stress, threshold field and hysteresis in the twin boundary motion. Twin-boundary motion is driven by the Zeeman energy difference across the domain wall, 2MsH, in the high anisotropy limit and is suppressed by domain magnetization rotation in the weak anisotropy limit. The magnitude of the threshold field and hysteresis can be obtained from features on mechanical stress-versus-strain curves. The field dependence and stress dependence of the AC strain are reasonably well accounted for by the model.
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