Experimental assessment of self-healing nature in aluminum-based smart composites with NiTi wires and solder alloy as healing agents through Taguchi approach. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Srivastava, Vaibhav; Gupta, Manish
• Is Part Of: Journal of intelligent material systems and structures. Volume 31:Number 18(2020)
• Page Start: 2101
• Page End: 2116
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Self-healing composites -- metal matrix composites -- shape memory alloy -- low melting point alloy -- Taguchi analysis -- non-destructive testing; Smart materials -- Periodicals; Intelligent control systems -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; Matériaux intelligents -- Périodiques; Commande intelligente -- Périodiques; Intelligence artificielle -- Périodiques; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1177/1045389X20942846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1045-389X

Abstract

In this article, the healing assessment of the AA2014 matrix reinforced with NiTi wires and solder alloy as healing agents is investigated through flexural testing. The idea of a smart composite was such that it could retain its structural stability through NiTi wires reinforced, which ultimately heals the macro cracks, whereas the solder alloy binds the micro-cracks by filling through the gap after heat treatment. The objective of this work is to determine the parameters influencing self-healing assessments. Specimens with different shape memory alloy vol% (0.5%, 1.3%), specimen size (1, 2) and shape memory alloy wires diameter (0.47 mm, 0.96 mm) were fabricated for analysis. Furthermore, Taguchi orthogonal columns of L8 (4^1 2^3) array technique was implemented to study the observations from different experimental runs. Healing temperature (i.e. 600°C) was selected such that it could take advantage of the compositional healing of the matrix. The completely damaged specimens through the bend test were thermally treated at different healing durations (30, 60, 90, 120 min) in a furnace to activate healing. The results show that a maximum of 96.95% of crack depth, 100% of crack width, and 73.76% of the recovery in flexural strength was recovered after heat treatment.