Thermomechanical response of TiNi fiber-impregnated CFRP composites

The focus of this work is the thermomechanical characterization of pre-strained TiNi fiber impregnated CFRP composites. TiNi/CFRP composites were fabricated by hot-pressing at a temperature of 180 °C. The compressive recovery force induced by thermomechanical actuation of TiNi fibers depends on the pre-strained level. The shrinkage strain due to the thermomechanical response of the composites increased with increasing pre-strain level and number of impregnated TiNi fibers. Transverse cracks which formed at 90 ° to the CFRP layers under tensile loading could be healed by the compressive recovery force introduced by pre-strained TiNi fibers when electrically heated.