Chemical and mechanical treatments to improve the surface properties of shape memory NiTi wires

In this paper the results of an experimental study concerning the effect of different surface treatments on NiTi shape memory alloy wires are presented. These treatments were conducted in order to improve the adhesion properties between the NiTi wires and an epoxy resin, acting as the matrix of a composite material. Mechanical and chemical surface treatments (immersion in acid and alkaline solutions), and different combinations of the above surface preparation procedures were studied. For the characterisation of the resulting alloy surface conditions electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarisation curves and potential versus time measurements were carried out. The alloy wire/epoxy matrix adhesion was characterised through pull out tests. The results proved that all adopted treatments can remarkably influence the electrochemical properties of the wires. The acid treatments favour the formation of a surface passivation layer, while the alkaline treatments are effective in producing a rougher surface morphology. Moreover, these basic treatments significantly reduce corrosion resistance of the alloys, another material property that has been incidentally investigated in the present context. The main effect of the mechanical surface treatment, consisting in abrading the alloy wires using an emery paper, was to increase the homogeneity of surface roughness. From the experimental results clear indications on the most promising surface treatments can be inferred. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.