IN SITU TEM STUDY ON THE R-PHASE TRANSFORMATION IN TiNi ALLOY

The R-phase transformation process in selected TiNi alloys has been studied in great detail by using in situ TEM technique. The R-phase transformation was found to be a reversible thermoelastic displacive transformation with a nucleation and growth process. The R-phase nucleates at the precipitate/matrix interface in aged specimens and grows by moving the coherent R/matrix interfaces. The stress field of Ti3Ni4 precipitates plays a much more important role in the formation of the R-phase than dislocations in aged TiNi alloy. The microstructure of the R-phase has also been studied.