Effect of thermomechanical training temperature on the two-way shape memory effect of TiNi and TiNiCu shape memory alloys springs

Abstract

In this article, the effect of thermomechanical training temperature on the two-way shape memory effect (TWSME) of TiNiCu and TiNi alloys springs were investigated. The results showed that when the springs were thermomechanical-trained at pure martensite, there is an increase of the recovery rate to a saturated value, the maximum recovery rate was about 55% and 45% for TiNiCu and TiNi alloys, respectively. As the springs were thermomechanical-trained at pure austensite and martensite+austensite, there is an increase of the recovery rate to a maximum value and decreased with ongoing training after having passed the maximum value and the maximum TWSME recovery rate is less than that of the shape memory alloys spring-trained at pure martensite. Dislocations generated by martensite reorientation were effective in developing two-way memory effect. Since the amount of the stress-induced martensite variants is less than that of thermal-induced martensite variants, thus, the recovery rate showed a different rule with increasing thermomechanical training cycles at different training temperature.