Jorge Otubo

Low Carbon Content NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Produced by Electron Beam Melting

Earlier works showed that the use of electron beam melting is a viable process to produce NiTi shape memory alloy. In those works a static and a semi-dynamic processes were used producing small shell-shaped and cylindrical ingots respectively. The main characteristics of those samples were low carbon concentration and good composition homogeneity throughout the samples. This paper presents the results of scaling up the ingot size and processing procedure using continuous charge feeding and continuous casting. The composition homogeneity was very good demonstrated by small variation in martensitic transformation temperatures with carbon content around 0.013wt% compared to 0.04 to 0.06wt% of commercial products.

Shape Recovery in Stainless FeMnSiCrNi(-Co) SMA Processed by ECAE

Stainless shape memory steel presents reasonable shape recovery but lower than the traditional NiTi shape memory alloys (SMA). However, recent results have shown that the shape recovery could be improved by decreasing the austenitic grain size. The present work describes the influence of the austenitic grain size on the shape recovery in stainless shape memory steel deformed by equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) using a die intersection angle of 120o. Two alloys, FeMnSiCrNi and FeMnSiCrNiCo, were deformed by 1 ECAE pass and then they were compared in the deformed state; deformed and annealed in different temperatures for 1 h, resulting different grain sizes. Both alloys were evaluated by compression tests and the results shows an increase in total shape recovery related to grain size decrease. The best total shape recovery was 73% after a pre-strain of 4% for FeMnSiCrNi alloy.

Shape Memory Properties of Ultrafine-Grained Austenitic Stainless Steel

In this work the effect of grain refinement on the shape memory properties of a Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni-Co-Ti alloy was evaluated using compression tests. In order to refine the microstructure, the samples were heavily deformed by equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) and then annealed at different temperatures ranging from 450°C to 1050°C. These treatments resulted in the formation of intermetallic precipitates and strengthening of austenitic matrix. The results of compression testes show that the higher degrees of shape recovery (56 % for 4% strain) were achieved by the samples with smaller grain size (12 µm).

Microstructural evaluation on shape recovery in stainless Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni-Co SMA processed by wire drawing

The effect of the microstructure on the shape recovery in stainless Fe-8Mn-5Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co shape memory steel (SSMS) was evaluated using tensile tests and reversion temperature of 600°C for a pre-strain of 4%. The tests were performed for a solution treated and annealed conditions at different temperatures after wire drawing of 57% area reduction. The best total shape recovery (TSR) was 83% for a sample deformed and annealed at 850°C. It was concluded that the elastic (or, superelastic) shape recovery (ESR) is high when the austenitic matrix strength is high surpassing the value of shape recovery due to memory effect (SR) and once the austenitic matrix becomes softer, the contribution of SR increases and that of ESR decreases.

Characterization of 150mm in Diameter NiTi SMA Ingot Produced by Electron Beam Melting

Earlier works showed that NiTi shape memory alloy production by electron beam melting (EBM) is a viable process in which its main characteristic is the low contamination by impurities such as carbon and oxygen. Some difficulties arise when compared to conventional vacuum induction melting (VIM) process such as composition control and complex machine operation. This work focus on the production of ever made large scale 150mm in diameter NiTi ingot produced by EBM showing its viability. The carbon contamination was only 0.016wt% compared to usual 0.05wt% of VIM process. The ingot radial composition homogeneity was proved by small variation presented by direct and reverse peak martensitic transformations temperatures which was around 2°C.

Grain size effect on the structural parameters of the stress induced epsilonhcp: martensite in iron-based shape memory alloy

The aim of this work was to study the effect of austenitic grain size (GS) reduction on the structural parameters of the ehcp - martensite in stainless shape memory alloy (SMA). Rietveld refinement data showed an expansion in c-axis and a reduction in a and b-axis with thermo-mechanical cycles for all samples analyzed. Samples with 75 < GS (µm) < 129 were analyzed. It was also observed an increase of the unit cell volume in this phase with GS reduction. The smallest grain size sample (GS = 75 µm) presented a c/a ratio of 1.649, and approximately 90% of total shape memory recovery.

The influence of carbon content on cyclic fatigue of NiTi SMA wires.

AIM To evaluate two NiTi wires with different carbon and oxygen contents in terms of mechanical resistance to rotary bending fatigue (RBF) under varied parameters of strain amplitude and rotational speed. METHODOLOGY The wires produced from two vacuum induction melting (VIM) processed NiTi ingots were tested, Ti-49.81 at%Ni and Ti-50.33 at%Ni, named VIM 1 and VIM 2. A brief analysis related to wire fabrication is also presented, as well as chemical and microstructural analysis by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and optical microscope, respectively. A computer controlled RBF machine was specially constructed for the tests. Three radii of curvature were used: 50.0, 62.5 and 75.0 mm, respectively, R(1), R(2) and R(3), resulting in three strain amplitudes ε(a) : 1.00%, 0.80% and 0.67%. The selected rotational speeds were 250 and 455 rpm. RESULTS The VIM 1 wire had a high carbon content of 0.188 wt% and a low oxygen content of 0.036 wt%. The oxygen and carbon contents of wire VIM 2 did not exceed their maximum, of 0.070 and 0.050 wt%, according to ASTM standard (ASTM F-2063-00 2001). The wire with lower carbon content performed better when compared to the one with higher carbon content, withstanding 29,441 and 12,895 cycles, respectively, to fracture. CONCLUSIONS The surface quality of the wire was associated with resistance to cyclic fatigue. Surface defects acted as stress concentrators points. Overall, the number of cycles to failure was higher for VIM 2 wires with lower carbon content.

Influence of Thermomechanical Processing on the Martensitic Transformation Temperatures of NiTi SMA Wire

Most of the applications of NiTi SMA are as a wire form. In this sense it is important to know the effects of thermo-mechanical processing such as reduction per pass and intermediate annealing on the wire drawing process. For this work they were produced wire by cold drawing using 15 % area reduction per pass with and without intermediate annealing. The starting ingot was produced by VIM process. The influence of thermo-mechanical processing will be related to the martensitic transformation temperatures.

The fracture evaluation of NiTi SMA endodontics files

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fracture resistance and the fracture surface of NiTi SMA engine-driven endodontics files submitted to clockwise torsion. The maximum angular deflection and the maximum torque were analyzed without axial loading. The helical plastic deformations and the fracture surface morphology were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopic. The results showed that there was a significant statistical difference in the maximum fracture torque and no statistical difference for the angular deflection for the analyzed files. In relation to the maximum torque at the instant of the fracture, one of the brand presented better performance than the other. According to Scanning Electron Microscopic evaluation, all the files showed ductile fracture morphology.

Effect of Plasma Nitriding on Creep Behavior at 550 °C of a Maraging Steel (300 Grade) Solution Annealed

The objective of this work is to evaluate creep behavior of a maraging steel (300 grade) solution annealed before and after superficial treatment of plasma nitriding. Creep tests were conducted on a standard creep machine at stress range of 200 to 500 MPa at 550°C. Samples with a gage length of 18.5 mm and a diameter of 3.0 mm were used for all tests. Creep parameters are determined and a comparative analysis is established with the results gotten from the alloy with and without plasma nitriding. Maraging 300 steel plasma nitrided has showed a similar creep behavior compared with the same alloy without superficial treatment, with creep rate and stress exponent results very close to the material only solution annealed. This result can be associated with the strong impact of reversion of martensite to austenite and overaging at this temperature and time of exposure that minimizes the benefits of a superficial treatment.