Title : Thermomechanical processes and transformations governing reversibility in shape memory alloys
Abstract:
Shape memory alloys take place in a class of advanced smart materials by giving stimulus response to changes in the external conditions. These alloys exhibit dual memory characteristics in the β-phase region with chemical composition, Shape Memory Effect and Superelasticity with the recoverability of two shapes at different conditions.
Shape memory effect is initiated thermomechanical processes on cooling and deformation and performed thermally on heating and cooling, with which shape of the material cycles thermally between original and deformed shapes in reversible way. Therefore, this behavior can be called Thermal Memory or Thermoelasticity. Deformation in the low temperature condition is plastic deformation, with which strain energy is stored in the materials and releases on heating by recovering the original shape.
This phenomenon is governed by the thermomechanical transformations, thermal and stress induced martensitic transformations. Thermal induced martensitic transformations occur on cooling with cooperative movement of atoms in <110 > -type directions on the {110} – type close packed planes of austenite matrix along with lattice twinning and ordered parent phase structures turn into the twinned martensite structures. Twinned structures turn into detwinned martensitic structures by means of stress induced martensitic transformations with deformation in the low temperature condition. Moreover, detwinned martensite structures turn into the ordered parent phase structures, by means reverse austenitic structures on heating. Lattice twinning and detwinning reactions play important role in martensitic transformations and they are driven by internal and external forces by means of inhomogeneous lattice invariant shear.
Superelasticity is performed in only mechanical manner with stressing and releasing the material in elasticity limit at a constant temperature in parent phase region, and shape recovery occurs instantly upon releasing by exhibiting elastic material behavior. Therefore, this behavior can be called mechanical memory. Superelasticity is performed in non-linear way; stressing and releasing paths are different, and cycling hysteresis refers to the energy dissipation. Superelasticity is also result of stress induced martensitic transformation, and the ordered parent phase structures turn into the detwinned martensite structures with stressing.
Copper based alloys exhibit this property in metastable β-phase region. Lattice twinning and lattice invariant shear is not uniform in these alloys and cause the formation of complex layered structures. The layered structures can be described by different unit cells as 3R, 9R or 18R depending on the stacking sequences on the {110} - type close-packed planes of the ordered lattice.
In the present contribution, x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were carried out on copper based CuAlMn and CuZnAl alloys. X-ray diffraction profiles and electron diffraction patterns exhibit super lattice reflections. X-ray diffractograms taken in a long-time interval show that diffraction angles and intensities of diffraction peaks change with the aging duration at room temperature. This result refers to the rearrangement of atoms in diffusive manner.