Shape recovery of shape memory alloy fiber embedded resin matrix smart composite after crack repair.

Ni-Ti shape memory alloy fiber embedded resin matrix composites were produced for evaluation of "smart denture", a newly developing denture with the function to close its own crack. Their bending strength and shape recovery after instant crack repair was estimated. The embedded fibers did not decrease the bending strength of the composite after repair. The crack closure of the composites was performed well simply by heating at 80 degrees C. Nevertheless, they showed apparent deflection after crack repair. The following two phenomena were supposed to be the main cause of it: the polymerization shrinkage of matrix resin with heating, and the coefficient of the thermal expansion mismatch between the fiber and the matrix. The embedded fibers could close the crack of the matrix with enough high accuracy for specimen repair, but they turned out to change the specimen shape after repair.