Kinetics of Failure Rate Accumulation and TiNi Shape Memory Effect Alloy Fracture Under Mechanical Cycling

Wire specimens, d = 0.1 mm, made of Ti-(50.6-50.8)at.%-Ni alloy were exposed to thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT), thus making the samples straight and providing them with high superelasticity (ε_se). It was established that the most effective method of TMT is annealing with deformation at 500 and 300 °C. The optimum mode of treatment was used in the research of mechanical fatigue of alloys with high superelastic properties. Two stages characterizing the alloy behavior under mechanical cycling were found out: failure accumulation and fracture. It was shown that the duration of the cycles is determined by the value of the preset deformation (σ_set) in relation to the deformation on the plateau-shaped area. The results of low-cycle fatigue of the alloys under investigation were processed by means of the method of least squares. The equations of prognosis of longetivity at the preset level of deformation are presented.