Functional Properties of Nickel–Titanium/Silicone Rubber Composite

Abstract

Abstract—A composite material consisting of a silicone rubber matrix and nickel–titanium wire reinforcement added at different volume fractions is prepared, and its debond strength and thermomechanical behavior are studied. The debond strength of the composite can be increased by reducing the surface roughness of the embedded nickel–titanium wire to R_a = 0.16 μm. The loading rate has a considerable effect on the residual strain in this material. The composite materials with the reinforcement content of 10 to 31% subjected to a 10% pre-strain can fully recover their shape on heating, suggesting the presence of memory shape effect in these materials.