Thermokinetic and Structural Shape Memory Effect Analysis of High-Temperature Martensitic Transformation of Ternary CuAlFe Alloy

Abstract

Cu-based shape memory alloys (SMAs), the closest alternative SMA group to the superior but high-cost NiTi SMAs, can have possibilities for more microstructural optimisation for operating at high temperatures. In this work, the ternary CuAlFe high-temperature shape memory alloy (HTSMA) was fabricated by melting in an arc melter. The obtained alloy was homogenized and then quenched to build the martensite structure (shape memory mechanism) in the alloy texture. To investigate the shape memory characteristics of the CuAlFe alloy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements were carried out to observe the thermally induced reversible martensitic phase transformations. To reveal the existence of the formed martensite phases in the alloy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) test was performed by using CuKα radiation at room temperature. The obtained all results revealed the high-temperature shape memory effect properties of the fabricated CuAlFe alloy. Therefore can be potentially beneficial in the HTSMA related research, development and application areas.