Effect of γ precipitates on the stabilization of martensite in CuZnAl alloys

Abstract

Some results concerning the martensite stabilization in CuZnAl single crystals with e a = 1,48 and with certain distributions of γ precipitates are presented. After several aging periods in martensite, the stabilization is reduced (practically eliminated) in samples containing precipitates when compared to the behavior of precipitate-free samples subjected to a step-quench type thermal treatment which is known to be effective in reducing the stabilization in copper-based shape memory alloys.