NiTi-Polyimide Composites Prepared Using Thermal Imidization Process

We manufactured NiTi plate-polyimide composite samples and analyzed their thermomechanical behavior. The residual stresses formed in the composite result from the shift of transformation temperatures and shape changes during thermal cycling. We demonstrate the use of finite element analysis for modeling the shape changes. The shape changes result from the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion and from the changes of Young's modulus and of the coefficient of thermal expansion in the NiTi shape memory alloy.