63Cu NMR spectra, magnetic susceptibility, and transmission electron microscopy of the rapidly quenched alloy Ti50Ni25Cu25

Methods of transmission and scanning electron microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at 63Cu nuclei, as well as measurements of the static magnetic susceptibility χ(T) have been used to study a shape-memory alloy (SMA) Ti50Ni25Cu25, which experiences a thermoelastic martensite transformation. The alloy was obtained from an amorphous ribbon in a bimodal nano- and submicrocrystalline state via a crystallization annealing for 1 h at 770 K with a subsequent quenching to room-temperature water. The resultant B2 austenite is characterized by a fine structure of the 63Cu NMR spectra, which is connected with the different distribution of 63Cu atoms on the second coordination shell. The evolution of the shape of the spectra with decreasing temperature reveals a structural transition B2 → B19. In addition, the 63Cu NMR spectra, just as the transmission electron microscopy, indicate the presence of phase separation in the alloy, with the precipitation of a TiCu (B11) phase. The temperature dependence of the static magnetic susceptibility χ(T) also indicates the occurrence of a structural transition and has a hysteretic nature of “stepped” type. The discovered stepped nature of the χ(T) dependence is explained by the bimodal size distribution of grains of the B2 phase due to the size effect of the martensitic transformation.