Martensitic phase transformation and shape memory properties of the as-cast NiCuTiHf and NiCuTiHfZr alloys

Abstract This study investigates the structure, martensitic phase transformation behavior, and shape memory properties of the quaternary Ni44.8Cu5Ti45.2Hf5 and quinary Ni44.8Cu5Ti40.2Hf5Zr5 and Ni45.5Cu5Ti39.5Hf5Zr5 shape memory alloys (SMAs) in the as-cast state. The alloys exhibited a dual-phase microstructure composed of matrix phase (austenite or martensite depending on the chemical composition) and Ti2Ni-type phase. The experimental results revealed that the alloys underwent a one-step B2↔B19′ transformation. The Ni44.8Cu5Ti45.2Hf5 alloy showed a maximum shape memory strain of 6.2% with a recovery ratio of 81% upon thermal cycling under a tensile stress of 300 MPa, while in the Ni44.8Cu5Ti40.2Hf5Zr5 alloy, a maximum shape memory strain of about 5% was obtained under 500 MPa with a recovery ratio of 86%. The as-cast Ni44.8Cu5Ti45.2Hf5 alloy showed superelastic response with 0.3% maximum transformation strain at 125 ℃ . On the other hand, the Ni44.8Cu5Ti45.2Hf5 alloy showed the best superelastic response at 65 ℃ with a recoverable strain of about 1.9%. Two-way shape memory strains of 0.8% and 3.3% were obtained in the Ni44.8Cu5Ti45.2Hf5 and Ni44.8Cu5Ti40.2Hf5Zr5 alloys, respectively. The Ni45.5Cu5Ti39.5Hf5Zr5 alloy, however, did not reveal the shape memory effect. Results obtained from low-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the B2 → B 19 ′ transformation was considerably suppressed in this alloy and the volume fraction of B 19 ′ martensite did not exceed 8% even at an ultra-low temperature of − 150 °C.