As a new emerging class of shape memory materials, shape memory ceramics offer unique properties that may not be achievable with their metallic counterparts; higher martensitic transformation temperatures with excellent oxidation resistance, higher transformation stresses, and higher work outputs than all currently existing actuators.
The underlying mechanism in crystalline shape memory materials is a thermoelastic martensitic transformation between two crystallographic phases that can be induced thermally (the shape memory effect) or by the application of stress (superelasticity)
Schuh group research focuses on improving our basic understanding of the martensitic transformation that is fundamental to the functional properties of shape memory ceramics. Our goal is to further this understanding and develop shape memory ceramic polycrystals with highly reversible martensitic transformation, avoiding cracking and opening the door to fully functional shape memory ceramics as a bulk materials class.
Specifically, we study the complex mechanisms behind transformation-induced cracking and strategies to mitigate this effect by carefully tuning the crystallography of the transformation, study controlling factors and fundamental mechanisms behind transformation hysteresis.
