Microdefects and electron densities in NiTi shape memory alloys studied by positron annihilation

1Introduction NiTi alloys are the most successful shape memory alloys as a result of their combination of good functional properties and excellent mechanical strength[1,2].The thermal and mechanical shape memory behavior in these alloys is dependent upon …     

Design of a Medical Non‐Linear Drilling Device: The Influence of Twist and Wear on the Fatigue Behaviour of NiTi Wires Subjected to Bending Rotation

This paper considers fundamental and experimental aspects associated with the engineering design of a medical, non‐linear drilling device which exploits shape memory pseudoelasticity of NiTi wires. For this application it is important that the NiTi wires have a good fatigue resistance. This is why the present authors have previously determined the influence of various parameters on cyclic life, crack growth and stress state of pseudoelastic wires subjected to bending rotation fatigue. The actual drilling device has to withstand twist in addition to bending rotation because the free rotation is constrained by friction between the drill head and the bone material. In addition, friction between the wire and a NiTi guiding tube results in wear and this may well promote fatigue crack nucleation. In this paper, we explain the function of the medical drill. We then report results on the effect of the additional parameters (1) twist and (2) wear on the fatigue life of thin pseudoelastic NiTi wires. We finally discuss the implications of our experimental results for the design process of the medical drilling device.     

Influence of compression aging on phase transition temperatures in single crystalline Ni‐rich NiTi shape memory alloys

The present paper considers the phase transition behavior of a single crystal Ni‐rich NiTi alloy which was compression aged to produce one single family of Ni₄Ti₃ precipitates. The single crystal material was produced in a two stage process. Polycrystalline material was first melted under an inert atmosphere and remelted when single crystals were produced. Compression aging treatments in <111>‐orientation were carried out in order to suppress all but one family of Ni₄Ti₃‐precipitates which nucleate and grow on {111}‐planes of the B2 matrix. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of Ni₄Ti₃‐precipitates on the martensitic transformation behavior. It was previously shown that grain boundaries provide heterogeneous nucleation sites for the formation of Ni₄Ti₃; this results in heterogeneous microstructures which undergo multiple step martensitic transformations. Single crystals avoid grain boundaries and the present study aims at clarifying how homogeneously precipitated particles affect martensitic transformations.     

Deformation characteristics of the intermetallic alloy 60NiTi

The deformation behavior of a Ni-rich Ni₅₅Ti₄₅ (at.%) alloy, commonly known as 60NiTi (as designated in wt.%), was analyzed using neutron and synchrotron x-ray diffraction during in situ isothermal tension and compression loading, and pre and post-test electron microscopy. The alloy was shown to exhibit remarkable strength and high hardness resulting from a high density of fine Ni₄Ti₃ precipitates (size ∼67 nm), which were uniformly dispersed throughout the matrix after a solution treatment and oil quench. The precipitate volume fraction was 55 ± 3%, determined from both the neutron Rietveld refinement and conventional x-ray measurements. Non-linear stress-strain behavior was observed in tension (but not in compression) and was attributed to reversible stress-induced martensite (SIM) that forms to accommodate the stress as revealed by neutron diffraction measurements. The tensile and compressive neutron data also showed peak broadening and residual lattice strains. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed stress-induced coarsening of Ni₄Ti₃ precipitates in both tension and compression tested samples, but precipitation and growth of the stable Ni₃Ti phase was observed only after tensile testing. Finally, the potential ramifications of these microstructural changes are discussed.     

A physical mechanism based constitutive model for temperature-dependent transformation ratchetting of NiTi shape memory alloy: One-dimensional model

In this paper, the effect of test temperature on the transformation ratchetting of super-elastic NiTi shape memory alloy was first investigated in the cyclic tension-unloading tests. It is shown that all the residual strain, dissipation energy, the start stress of martensite transformation and their evolutions during the cyclic loading depend greatly upon the test temperature. Based on the experimental observations, a new one-dimensional constitutive model is constructed by considering two different inelastic deformation mechanisms (i.e., martensite transformation and transformation-induced plasticity). The proposed model employs a new evolution rule of transformation-induced plasticity which considers the physical mechanism of the plastic deformation, i.e., the dislocation slipping in the austenite phase near the austenite–martensite interfaces. Furthermore, the interaction between dislocation and martensite transformation is also taken into account in the proposed model. The capability of the proposed model to predict the uniaxial temperature-dependent transformation ratchetting of NiTi shape memory alloy is verified by comparing the predictions with the experimental data.     

超音速火焰喷涂NiTi合金涂层的形状记忆效应

采用超音速火焰喷涂制备超致密NiTi合金涂层,通过后续热处理获得优化相变结构,并通过压痕法分析涂层的形状记忆效应。光学显微镜及扫描电镜对NiTi合金涂层微观结构表征显示,喷涂制备态涂层由内部岛状-链状界面叠片组成,涂层致密孔隙率约为0.82%。X射线衍射分析显示,NiTi涂层制备态为全奥氏体,经时效处理析出Ni₄Ti₃相。压痕法分析表明,在制备态及时效态涂层中均获得了一定的单程及双程形状记忆效应。X射线物相分析及差示扫描量热仪对比分析揭示,时效析出的第二相粒子显著增加形状记忆效应。     

航天轴承新贵:60NiTi合金

在NiTi系合金大家族中,等原子比的NiTi合金具有形状记忆效应和超弹性。相比于等原子比NiTi合金,60NiTi合金不会发生热弹性马氏体相变,不具有形状记忆效应和超弹性,但是它在硬度、耐腐蚀性和弹性性能等方面具有出众的潜能,在航天领域上展现了良好的应用前景。固溶态60NiTi合金同时具备结构稳定性、超强的耐腐蚀性、出色的耐磨性,已成为航天轴承候选新材料。     

一种应力诱发相变的超弹性NiTi记忆合金本构模型

采用隐式应力积分塑性理论,建立一个能够考虑超弹性Ni Ti合金相变行为的本构模型。该模型利用VonMises等效应力面构建记忆合金的相变面,描述记忆合金在力载荷驱动下的相变行为,并通过试验进行验证。研究表明,所建立模型能很好描述温度相关应力所引起马氏体的相变行为,同时对马氏体的逆相变行为也能进行合理地描述。     

超音速电弧喷涂NiTi混合涂层及其组织结构表征研究

目的为改善NiTi涂层在工程应用中的不足,研究一种性能更优越的表面喷涂材料。方法先对0Cr13Ni5Mo不锈钢基体表面进行预处理,包括用丙酮清洗(除油、除锈)及喷砂处理(棕刚玉颗粒),选择超音速火焰喷涂技术在基体表面分别制备NiTi/Ni、NiTi和NiTi/NiAl三种混合涂层,并分别采用扫描电镜(SEM)和X射线衍射仪(XRD)对三种混合涂层的显微组织结构和形貌及相组成进行表征,同时在显微硬度计上进行硬度试验,测量三种涂层的厚度和硬度,并观察涂层与基体的结合界面形貌,进而对上述三种涂层的组织结构表征进行对比研究。结果 NiTi/Ni、NiTi、NiTi/NiAl涂层的硬度平均值分别为574.3、683.3、735,NiTi/Ni、NiTi、NiTi/NiAl涂层试样的平均厚度分别为279.3、270.5、229.4μm。NiTi/Ni混合涂层的主要组织为Ni3Ti和Ni,NiTi涂层的主要成分为NiTi(B2)相、NiO、TiO以及少量的NiO_2,NiTi/NiAl涂层主要含有NiTi、NiAl及少量的单质Ni和NiO_2。结论 NiTi/NiAl混合涂层的硬度最高,与基体的结合界面最致密,具有极强的抗氧化性,组织较均匀,因此总的来说,NiTi/NiAl混合涂层的性能稳定,工程应用中有望成为更加理想的涂层材料。     

Ni含量和烧结压力对SPS法制备NiTi合金显微组织及摩擦学性能的影响

采用高能球磨和放电等离子烧结法(SPS)在1000℃制备了NiTi合金,研究了镍含量和烧结压力对NiTi合金致密度、显微组织、显微硬度和摩擦学性能的影响。结果表明：通过高能球磨后,粉末颗粒尺寸减小,随着镍含量增加,Ni相衍射峰向高角度偏移。NiTi合金致密度随着烧结压力增大而增大,在低烧结压力下,合金致密度随着镍含量增加从94.7%降低到84.6%;在高烧结压力下,合金致密度随着镍含量增加表现出先增加后减小的趋势,在镍含量为45%(质量分数,下同)时,合金致密度最低。NiTi合金中主要由NiTi相、NiTi₂相和Ni₃Ti相组成,Ni₃Ti相含量随着镍含量和烧结压力增大而增大,并且镍含量和烧结压力增大会引起Ni₃Ti相晶格畸变。随着镍含量从0%增加到65%时,合金显微硬度先增大后减小,在镍含量为50%时,显微硬度最大。在相同化学成分下,合金显微硬度随着烧结压力增大而增大。增大镍含量和烧结压力会降低NiTi合金磨损率,显著提高合金耐磨性。室温下NiTi合金的磨损机制是磨粒磨损和黏着磨损。