Magneto-mechanical actuation of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy/epoxy composites

Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) exhibit magnetic field- and stress-induced twinning when processed into single crystals, but are brittle and difficult to shape. Embedding slender single crystalline MSMA elements into a polymer matrix can thus provide composites with adjustable magnetic strain actuation behavior. Ni–Mn–Ga single crystalline rods were characterized for their magneto-mechanical behavior and embedded in two different types...