Materials World Network: U.S.-Japan Research Collaboration in Meta-Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys with Enhanced Ductility and Controlled Porosity

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This Materials World Network award by the Metallic Materials and Nanostructures program and the Office of Special Programs in the Division of Materials Research to Texas Engineering and Experimental Station is to fabricate inexpensive meta-magnetic shape memory alloys (MMSMAs) in polycrystalline bulk form having large magnetic field-induced actuation work output and enhanced ductility using a powder metallurgy approach. This award is also cofunded by the Office of International Science and Engineering. Magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) are promising candidates for actuation, sensing, energy harvesting and magnetic refrigeration. The development of these materials have been limited by small actuation work outputs, poor ductility, and a lack of systematic studies to connect the issues in solid-state physics, conventional metallurgy, and applications. The problem of low work output was recently resolved by the present U.S.-Japan team from Texas A&M and Tohoku Universities by the discovery and preliminary understanding of MMSMAs. Yet the ductility problem remains and the works on MMSMAs are limited only to single crystals, which are difficult to fabricate. In addition, porous MMSMAs will be fabricated for the evaluation of their potential in biomedical applications, focusing on the characterization of biological viability and their use as active tissue scaffolds. These goals will be achieved through the synergistic combination of materials design, fabrication, and multi-scale characterization in order to develop an understanding of the magneto-thermo-mechanical response and magneto-microstructural coupling, and evaluation of their corrosion resistance, cytotoxicity, and potential for stimulating tissue growth remotely with the field. If successful, the results of this transformative research will provide an opportunity for (a) revolutionizing the field of shape memory alloys by fertilizing completely new applications and property landscapes, (b) transformation of current understanding of field-induced shape change in MSMAs through a multi-scale, multidisciplinary characterization on the new MMSMAs; and (c) the creation of an entirely new family of tissue scaffolds that would allow remotely controlled mechanical stimulus for tissue growth. Ultimately, the methodologies in this work will contribute to the overall effort to maintain US-leading role in active and biomaterials research. Graduate and undergraduate students including several minority students will benefit through establishment of joint-degree and exchange programs with the Japanese partner institution, new course developments, classroom instruction and direct involvement in the research. K-12 students and high school teachers will be engaged in developing science projects with SMAs to increase the awareness of science and engineering among them and provide them firsthand research experience.