Shape Memory Properties and Microstructure of FeNiCoAlTaB Shape Memory Alloys

The three-point-bending shape memory properties, microstructure, and magnetic properties of Fe40.95Ni28Co17Al11.5Ta2.5B0.05 (at.%) alloys were investigated. The magnetic results showed a martensitic transformation in the samples that were aged at 700 °C for 6 and 12 h under the applied magnetic fields of 0.05 and 7 Tesla. The martensitic start temperature increased from −113 °C to −97 °C as aging times increased from 6 to 12 h. Increasing the magnetic fields from 0.05 to 7 Tesla, the transformation temperatures increased to a higher temperature. Both samples reach saturation magnetization (140 emu/g) under 7 Tesla. The 98.5% cold-rolled alloys that were annealed at 1250 °C for 0.5 h presented a strong <100> texture in the rolling direction with an average grain size of 360 μm. Increasing the annealing time to 1 h, the intensity of texture reduced from 31.61 to 23.19. The fraction of low angle grain boundaries (LABs) for the 98.5% CR samples after annealing at 1250 °C for 0.5 h and 1 h was about 24.6% and 16.1%, respectively. Three-point-bending results show that the sample aged at 700 °C for 6 h displayed 0.2% recoverable strain at a stress level of 800 MPa. Failure occurred before the 900 MPa cycle could be completed. The sample aged at 700 °C for 12 h shows no transformation before the applied stress level of 300 MPa. As the stress levels increase to 400 MPa, the sample shows the shape memory effect and displayed 0.8% recoverable strain at a stress level of 400 MPa. The samples are failures during the 500 MPa cycle. The observed recoverable strain values were lower than those that were theoretically predicted, which was possibly due to the larger volume fraction of high-angle grain boundary and the slightly lower than expected average grain size.