Additive manufacturing of NiTi shape memory alloys for elastocaloric applications : a review

Setiawan, Ignatius Andre (author), Mehrali, Mohammad (author), Tušek, Jaka (author), Mohajerani, Shiva (author), Wang, Xiebin (author), Brabazon, Dermot (author), Elahinia, Mohammad (author), Mehrpouya, Mehrshad (author)

The elastocaloric (eC) effect, which harnesses the latent heat released during stress-induced transformations of superelastic shape memory alloys (SMAs), offers a promising pathway toward solid-state, environmentally friendly refrigeration technologies. However, the advancement of eC devices is constrained by the limited heat transfer surface area between SMAs and heat transfer fluids, as well as the high mechanical work input relative to the extracted latent heat. Among available SMAs, nickel titanium (NiTi) alloys are the most widely commercialized and exhibit strong potential for eC applications, yet their poor machinability and fabrication challenges hinder widespread implementation. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides a solution by enabling layer-by-layer fabrication of NiTi with complex geometries, thereby enhancing surface area and reducing work input through lattice structures. This review summarizes recent progress in AM-fabricated NiTi for eC applications, with an emphasis on components produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) techniques using both wire and powder feedstocks. Finally, future directions and opportunities for integrating AM NiTi into practical eC devices are discussed.

• Language: English
• Keywords: additive manufacturing, caloric materials, elastocaloric, shape memory alloys, solid state refrigeration, NiTi, elastocaloric cooling
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 42 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 36, iss. 46, art. e30524
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185175
• UDC: 004.925.84:621.57
• ISSN on article: 1616-301X
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202530524
• COBISS.SI-ID: 286018051
• Publication date in RUL: 27.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Advanced functional materials
• Shortened title: Adv. funct. mater.
• Publisher: Wiley Interscience
• ISSN: 1616-301X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23502597

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: dodajalna proizvodnja, kalorični materiali, elastokaloričnost, materiali z oblikovnim spominom, hlajenje v trdnem stanju, NiTi, elastokalorično hlajenje