Pseudoelastic behaviour associated with thermoelastic martensitic transformation in an Au52.5 x Ag x Cd47.5 pseudobinary alloy

Abstract The relation between pseudoelastic behaviour and the thermoelastic martensitic transformation has been studied by means of the measurement of stress–strain curves in the temperature range above and below the martensitic transition temperatures in an Au52.5− x AgxCd47.5 pseudobinary β–phase alloy. It is of special interest that the so–called superelastie loops accompanying two–stage yieldings in stress–strain curves were observed just above M8 , (the martensite–start temperature on cooling). These are thought to be due to successive formation of martensite phases. In conjunction with the measurements of heat capacity and of electrical resistivity, the thermoelastic martensitic properties of the present alloys are discussed from a thermodynamic point of view.