Coupling shape-memory alloy and embedded informatics toward a metallic self-healing material

This paper investigates the possibility of a strategy for an automatic full recover of a structural component undergoing loading-unloading (fatigue) cycles: full recover means here that no replacement is required at the end of the mission. The goal is to obtain a material capable of self healing earlier before the damage becomes irreversible. Attention is focused on metallic materials, and in particular on shape memory alloys, for which the recovering policy just relies on thermal treatments. The results of several fatigue tests are first reported to acquire a deep understanding of the physical process. Then, for cycles of constant amplitude, the self-healing objective is achieved by mounting, on the structural component of interest, a suitable microcontroller. Its input, from suitable sensors, covers the current stress and strain in the alloy. The microcontroller elaborates from the input the value of a decisional parameter and activates the thermal process when a threshold is overcome.