Actuators and Drivers Based on CuAlNi Shape Memory Single Crystals

Our research reported here is concerned with the development of physical aspects of shape memory linear actuators and drivers made from CuAlNi single crystals. Our study is focused on reactive stress generation and reversible deformation in the clamped CuAlNi single crystals due to martensitic transformations during thermal cycling. The crystals can reproduce force generation in heating to 560 K for many times, and one time in heating to 700 K with the maximal stress 350 MPa. The theoretical model and calculations of linear actuators that use shape memory single crystals is discussed and we also demonstrate real model of an actuator based on these crystals.