Ordering mechanism and kinetics in Ni2Mn1−xCuxGa ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

Abstract

The effect of atomic order on the martensitic and magnetic transformations undergone by Ni2Mn1−xCuxGa ferromagnetic shape memory alloys has been investigated. Different degrees of order have been induced by performing selected thermal treatments, and it has been found that, although both the structural (martensitic) and magnetic transformation temperatures increase with the improvement of the atomic order, each of these temperatures evolve with different kinetics. Reinforcing this result, during post–quench heating of Ni2Mn1−xCuxGa alloys two consecutive DSC exothermic peaks are observed, while the ternary Ni–Mn–Ga, Co–doped Ni–Mn–Ga and even Cu–doped Ni–Mn–Ga alloy when Cu replaces Ni show a single peak. The kinetics of the post–quench ordering processes have been studied using the Kissinger’s method, and two different activation energies have been obtained: 1.16 eV for the process that is common to all alloys and 1.35 eV for the one that is only observed in Ni2Mn1−xCuxGa alloys. The former, responsible for the change in Curie temperature, is attributed to the improvement of L21 order mainly due to Mn diffusion; for the second, which underlies the rise of martensitic transformation temperatures, diffusion of Cu atoms, misplaced in the Ni sublattice after quench, towards their most favourable sites in the Mn sublattice is proposed as the responsible mechanism.