Thermomechanical properties of TiNiCu12 wire reinforced Kevlar/epoxy composites

TiNi12 wt%Cu shape memory alloy wire reinforced Kevlar/epoxy composites were produced and the thermomechanical behaviors of the composites were studied. Results showed that the prestrain level does not affect significantly the stress–strain and stress–temperature behaviors of the TiNiCu composites. Only the strain–temperature behavior of the composites is sensitive to the prestrain level. Composites with a small prestrain level show a larger hysteresis and a larger strain rate upon heating than those with a large prestrain level.