K.K. Mahesh

Thermomechanical Treatments for Ni-Ti Alloys

Thermomechanical treatments for shape memory alloys (SMA) are found to be one of the more economical, simpler, and efficient methods adopted for manipulating the transformation properties. The stability of phase transformation has been found to depend upon the thermomechanical treatments, such as hotor cold-working, heat-treatment and thermal cycling. It has perhaps more important and wide reaching ramifications than many of the other stages in the fabrication of components and structures.

Texture Development and Phase Transformation Behavior of Sputtered Ni-Ti Films

It is essential to identify and control the preferential orientation of Ni-Ti shape memory alloy (SMA) films since it is a crucial factor in determining the shape memory behavior. In the present work, in situ studies by synchrotron radiation scattering enabled to identify the different steps of the structural evolution of Ni-Ti films during co-sputtering deposition. For micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) integration, there is a need for an electrically and thermally insulating or sacrificial layer. Widening the scope of previous experiments concerning the influence of the deposition parameters on the structure of the Ni-Ti films, the incorporation of a TiN buffer layer has been tested. Here, it is established a relationship between the TiN substrates and Ni-Ti texture development (B2 phase). Ni-Ti films mainly containing grains with (110) or (211) planes of the B2 phase parallel to the film surface could be produced using TiN buffer layers with distinct thickness values. The electrical resistivity measurements performed during temperature cycling have shown that the crystallographic orientations of the Ni-Ti films influence their phase transformation characteristics. The resistivity increase during R-phase transformation, especially visible on cooling, is higher for Ni-Ti films with a higher fraction of grains of the B2 phase with (211) parallel to the film surface.

Textural Modifications during Recovery in Ti-Rich Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloy Subjected to Low Level of Cold Work Reduction

In shape memory alloys (SMA), the texture can be an interesting factor influencing the anisotropic physical and mechanical characteristics during the phase transformations. It is well known that the texture significantly influences the stress-strain curve and shape memory strain of NiTi SMA. The aim of the present experiment was to analyze the textural modifications in the Ti-rich Ni-Ti SMA after annealing at moderate (500°C for 30 min) and subsequent low level of cold work reduction (10% thickness reduction). The textural results were obtained by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) during thermal cycling in three points: (i) at room temperature (B19’ phase, after cold work), (ii) at 180°C (B2 phase), and (iii) at room temperature (B19’ phase, after cooling from 180°C). The phase transformations were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and XRD.

The Interfacial Diffusion Zone in Magnetron Sputtered Ni-Ti Thin Films Deposited on Different Si Substrates Studied by HR-TEM

Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloy thin films are suitable materials for microelectromechanical devices. During the deposition of Ni-Ti thin films on Si substrates, there exist interfacial diffusion and chemical interactions at the interface due to the high temperature processing necessary to crystallize the film. For the present study, Ni-Ti thin films were prepared by magnetron cosputtering from Ni-Ti and Ti targets in a specially designed chamber mounted on the 6-circle goniometer of the ROssendorf BeamLine (ROBL-CRG) at ESRF, Grenoble (France). The objective of this study has been to investigate the interfacial structure resulting from depositions (at a temperature of ≈ 470°C) on different substrates: naturally oxidized Si(100), Si(111) and poly-Si substrates. A detailed High-Resolution TEM analysis of the interfacial structure has been performed. When Ni-Ti is deposited on Si(100) substrate, a considerable diffusion of Ni into the substrate takes place, resulting in the growth of semi-octaeder A-NiSi2 silicide. In the case of Ni-Ti deposited on Si(111), there appears an uniform thickness plate, due to the alignment between substrate orientation and the [111]-growth front. For Ni-Ti deposited on poly-Si, the diffusion is inhomogeneous. Preferential diffusion is found along the columnar grains of poly-Si, which are favourably aligned for Ni diffusion. These results show that for the Ni-Ti/Si system, the morphology of the diffusion interface is strongly dependent on the type of substrates.

In Situ High Temperature Texture Characterisation in NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Using Synchrotron Radiation

The aim of the present experiment was to analyse the structural evolution during annealing of Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) SMA subjected to different thermomechanical treatments. As structural evolutions are accompanied by the changes in preferential orientations, pole figures were employed to study the in-situ conditions.

In Situ Structural Characterization of Laser Welded NiTi Shape Memory Alloys

The demand of emerging joining techniques for shape memory alloys (SMA) has become of great importance, as their functional properties, namely shape memory effect (SME) and superelasticity (SE) present unique solutions for state-of-the-art applications. Literature shows that significant efforts have been conducted on laser welding of these alloys, although very limited results concerning mechanical properties are repeatedly achieved. A better understanding of the mechanical behaviour of these welded joints may be got through a detailed analysis of the structural characteristics of the material from the base metal to the weld bead. Such studies have been carried out on a series of Ni-rich Ni-Ti SMA laser welded plates using synchrotron radiation.

Phase Transformation in Ni-Ti Shape Memory and Superelastic Alloys Subjected to High Pressure Torsion

A systematic study on the phase transformation of Ni-Ti shape memory and superelastic alloys subjected to Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) – High Pressure Torsion (HPT) technique has been carried out. Ni-Ti alloys of three compositions were chosen for the study. Specimens of these alloys in as-received (AR) condition and after HPT have been subjected to Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. In this study, while comparing the results of DSC thermograms and XRD spectra for the same sample conditions, some differences were observed. In the case of NiTi-H alloy after HPT, there appeared one stage phase transformation with DSC both while heating and cooling suggesting Martensite↔Austenite transformation but, with respect to XRD spectra while cooling, at the intermediate temperature of 55°C, the R-phase peaks corresponding to (1 1 2)R and (3 0 0)R planes appeared. In the thermogram obtained for the NiTi-B alloy subjected to HPT, it is observed that, while cooling, the Austenite to R-phase transformation is merged with R-phase to Martensite transformation. The results of the XRD obtained at -180°C show the presence of R-phase along with M-phase. The DSC curve of the NiTi-S alloy subjected to HPT corresponds to one stage phase transformation both while heating and cooling but, the diffractogram of the sample obtained at -180°C corresponds to the presence of both R-phase and M-phase.

Structural Transitions in a Co2NiGa Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloy

The development of ferromagnetic shape memory for practical applications needs to overpass brittleness issues, in addition to the control of the magnetoelastic domains. The Co-Ni-Ga system can provide adequate structural particularities to increase the ductility. This paper reports on structural observations of the martensitic transformation in a Co2NiGa alloy, in the as-cast and in plastically deformed state. Characterization has been performed before and after the heat treatment, using in-situ X-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy, as well as DSC measurements performed on heating and cooling of the samples. The observations show a β + γ two-phase structure that can be further influenced by quenching. The structural contribution on the deformation capacity of the alloys is analyzed, based on the changes in the pattern of transformation. Severe plastic deformation by cold rolling leads to the disappearance of the thermoelastic phase transformation.

Textural Evolution Evaluated by EBSD and XRD after Thermal Treatment in Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloy

The Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) alloys are the most attractive amongst shape memory alloys (SMA) due to their good functional properties coupled with high strength and good ductility. The transformation temperatures in Ni-Ti SMA can be altered by chemical composition and thermal and/or mechanical treatments adequate to obtain reversible martensitic transformation in one or more steps. The goal of the present work is to investigate the evolution of texture in Ni-Rich Ni-Ti (50.8at%Ni-Ti) SMA showing different phase transformation temperatures as a result of different thermal/mechanical history: straight-annealed (as-received condition) and subsequent thermal treatment at 500°C for 30 minutes in air. The microstructural and textural results were obtained by Electron Backscattering Diffraction on Scanning Electronic Microscopy (ESBD/SEM) and by X Ray Diffraction (XRD) at room temperature. Mechanical properties were measured by Vickers micro hardness tests at room temperature.

Mechanical Behaviour of Ausformed and Marformed Ti-rich Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloys

Shape memory effect (SME) in Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) alloys is ascribed to the thermoelastic reversible martensite phase transformation. Phase transformation is established to be affected by the pre- thermal and mechanical history of the alloy. The present work deals with the effect of mechanical working, known as ‘marforming’ and ‘ausforming’, on the phase transformation characteristics and mechanical behaviour of Ti-rich Ni-Ti alloy. Tensile study and measurement of the hardness data were carried out at room temperature. Mere heat treatment or heat treatment at 773 K after the marforming shows similar characteristics, whereas, the as-received and the ausformed samples exhibit different behaviours. Hardness numbers of the heat treated samples are found to be smaller than those of the as-received and mechanically worked samples.