Impact of Alloy Composition and Thermal Stabilization on Martensitic Phase Transformation Structures in CuAlMn Shape Memory Alloys

Alloys of CuAlMn are known as cheap, high strength shape memory alloys with an excellent damping capacity within their austenitic-martensitic phase transformation, compared to alloy systems like NiTi, CuZnAl or MnCu. But CuAlMn alloys have disadvantage due to generation of voids by a high shrinkage which further increases the existing proneness to stress cracks during rapid cooling. Alloying grain refining elements improves the stress crack resistance and enables a wide range of rapid quenching parameters which are needed to control the temperature of martensitic phase transformation. Addition...