Thermoelastic martensitic transformations, mechanical properties, and shape-memory effects in rapidly quenched Ni45Ti32Hf18Cu5 alloy in the ultrafine-grained state

Abstract

Methods of transmission and scanning electron microscopy and chemical microanalysis, electron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction were used to study the structure and the chemical and phase composition of ribbons of the four-component quasi-binary alloy Ni₄₅Ti₃₂Hf₁₈Cu₅. The influence of the synthesis regimes and subsequent heat treatment of the alloy on the formation of the amorphized state and ultrafine-grained structure has been determined. The critical temperatures of the devitrification and of the _B2 ↔ _B19' thermoelastic martensitic transformation have been established based on the data of the temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity. The lattice parameters of the _B2 and _B19' phases and the (Ti,Hf)₂Ni phase have been determined by X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of the alloy were determined in tensile tests, and the shape-memory effects in the ribbons of the alloy were measured using bending tests.