Title :
A titanium-nickel shape-memory alloy actuated micropump
Author :
Benard, W.L. ; Kahn, H. ; Heuer, A.H. ; Huff, M.A.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Appl. Phys., Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH, USA
Abstract :
The shape memory alloy (SMA) titanium-nickel (TiNi) is used in thin film form as the basis of actuation for a reciprocating micropump. A novel configuration comprising two complementary TiNi actuators is used to perform cyclic motion by utilizing the shape memory effect (SME). Check valves are fabricated from polyimide to ensure unidirectional flow through the pump chamber. The pump is driven by an electrical drive signal, which is passed directly through the TiNi thin films, causing a Joule heating-induced phase transformation and initiating the SME. Cyclic motion is achieved by heating the actuators out of phase. The pump was tested with filtered DI water and attained a pump rate of 50 μL/min
Keywords :
intelligent actuators; intelligent materials; microactuators; micropumps; nickel alloys; shape memory effects; titanium alloys; valves; Joule heating-induced phase transformation; Ti-Ni; Ti-Ni shape-memory alloy actuated micropump; actuation; check valves; cyclic motion; electrical drive signal; filtered DI water; implantable drug delivery systems; micro on-chip chemical analyzers; polyimide; pump chamber; pump rate; reciprocating micropump; thin film form; two complementary TiNi actuators; unidirectional flow; Actuators; Heat pumps; Micropumps; Polyimides; Resistance heating; Shape memory alloys; Testing; Titanium alloys; Transistors; Valves;
Conference_Titel :
Solid State Sensors and Actuators, 1997. TRANSDUCERS '97 Chicago., 1997 International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Chicago, IL
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3829-4
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.1997.613659
