M.J. Szczerba

Over 7% magnetic field-induced strain in a Ni-Mn-Ga five-layered martensite

A Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal with a modulated five-layered martensite structure is reported, demonstrating giant magnetic field induced strain (MFIS) of 7.1% at room temperature and of 6% at temperatures close to the austenite transformation (TA = 71 °C). The room temperature MFIS clearly exceeds the best results of around 6% measured earlier in 10M martensites. The larger MFIS is connected to the huge (>1%) change in the lattice distortion of the 10M structure, obtained within a narrow temperature interval of 47 K, which has been previously observed only during intermartensitic transformation. The present material shall effectively reduce the size of magnetic shape memory actuators.

Large magnetic field-induced work output in a NiMnGa seven-layered modulated martensite

We report the performance of a Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal with a seven-layered lattice modulation (14M martensite), demonstrating large actuation work output driven by an external magnetic field. A magnetic field-induced strain of 11.2%, a twinning stress of 0.64 MPa, and a magneto-crystalline anisotropy energy of 195 kJ/m3 are measured at room temperature, which exceed the best results reported in Ni-Mn-Ga 14M martensites. The produced magnetically induced work output of about 70 kJ/m3 makes the material attractive for actuator applications. Detailed XRD investigation reveals that the studied 14M martensite is stress-induced. With increasing compression stress, the stress-induced intermartensitic transformation sequence 10M → 14M → NM was demonstrated.

Magnetostructural transition and magnetocaloric effect in highly textured Ni-Mn-Sn alloy

Ni49.4Mn38.5Sn12.1 near single crystal was obtained by the Bridgman method. At room temperature, it consisted of a mixture of the parent austenite phase with the cubic L21 Heusler structure (ac = 5.984 A) and modulated, tetragonal martensite phase 4M (at = 4.337 A, ct = 5.655 A). Under the application of a magnetic field, the specimen undergoes field induced reverse martensitic transformation, which combined with the Curie transition in austenite leads to the coexistence of direct and inverse magnetocaloric effects. The maximum entropy change at 280 K and under 5 T amounts to 3.4 J·kg−1·K−1 for the structural transition and at 316 K reaches −2.7 J·kg−1·K−1 for the magnetic transformation. The magnetic entropy change occurs over a wide temperature span leading to improved refrigerant capacity of 101 J·kg−1 (5 T). Hysteretic losses are considerably reduced, which is promising with respect to improved cyclic stability of such a material.

Self-accommodated and pre-strained martensitic microstructure in single-crystalline, metamagnetic Ni-Mn-Sn Heusler alloy

Metamagnetic shape memory alloys are a unique class of materials capable of large magnetic field-induced strain due to reverse martensitic phase transformation. A precondition for large shape change is martensite deformation, which heavily depends on microstructure. Elucidation of microstructure is therefore indispensable for strain control and deformation mechanics in such systems. The current paper reports on a self-accommodated martensitic microstructure in metamagnetic Ni50Mn37.5Sn12.5 single crystal. The microstructure here is hierarchically organised at three distinct levels. On a large scale, martensite plate colonies, distinguished by intercolony boundaries, group individual martensitic plates. Plates are separated by interplate boundaries and deviate by 2.2° from an ideal twin relation. On the lower scale, plates are composed of subplate twins. Conjugation boundaries separating two pairs of twins arise in relation to a subplate microstructure. Modulation boundaries separating two variants with perpendicular modulation directions and with parallel c-axes also appear. Mechanical training frees larger plates from fine subplate microtwins bringing macro-lamellae into twin relation, what then permits further detwinning until a single variant state.

Influence of phosphorous content on microstructure development at the Ni-P Plating/SAC interface

Studies of the commonly used Ni-P surface finish of 4.3 and 11.6 wt. % of P content electroless plated on nickel substrates followed by their reaction with SAC305 solder were performed. It was demonstrated that the Ni-4.3P plating was crystalline, while the Ni-11.6P was mostly amorphous. The transformation of the Ni-P into Ni3P phase took place at 672 K and 605 K for low and high P amount, respectively. The activation energy (Ea) of the crystallization processes in the Ni-P plating was lower for the Ni-11.6P plating. Interaction of SAC305 solder with both types of the inspected plating showed the creation of (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 phase in the form of thin layer and large scallops, while for Ni-11.6P/SAC305 interface also (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 phase. The thickness of these phases was larger in the case of low phosphorous containing plating. The Ni-11.6P plating after the reaction with SAC305 totally transformed into Ni12P5, while the enrichment in P up to 10.5 wt. % occurred in the Ni-4.3P which did not lead to the appearance of any NixPy type phases. After the reaction of plating with solder the Ni2SnP phase was not identified. This was related to the absence of spalling phenomenon of the intermetallics into solder.

Asymmetric distribution of martensitic variants in non-modulated NiMnGa single crystals

A strong asymmetric distribution of martensitic variants in non-modulated NiMnGa single crystals with respect to austenite is produced during martensitic transformation. A cubic-to-tetragonal transformation occurs with 24 possible variants divided into two groups. The first group with a misorientation of about 6° is composed of the so-called major variants separated by inter-plate boundaries, while the latter comprises minor variants with misorientation of 12.2°. The 6° rotation associated with major variants can also be observed at each inclination point where conjugation boundaries (CBs) occurs. The removal of CBs straightens out the inclined inter-plate boundaries confirming the Müllner–King mechanism.