The Effect of Thermal Annealing on Structural-phase Changes in the Ni–Ti Alloy Implanted with Krypton Ions

Abstract

The influence of thermal annealing within the temperature range 100–300°C on the structural-phase state of a Ni–Ti alloy with shape memory effect (SME) implanted with 84Kr ions at the energies E = 280 keV and 1.75 MeV/nucl and the fluences within 5·1012–1·1020 ion/m2 is investigated. For the samples modified by 84Kr ions at E = 1.75 MeV/nucl up to the fluences 1·1020 and 5·1012 ion/m2, the formation of a martensitic NiTi phase with the B19 ′ structure, responsible for the SME, is revealed at the annealing temperatures 100 and 300°C, respectively, in the near-surface region corresponding to the outrange area. This is accompanied by the formation of nanosized NiTi particles in the R-phase. As the implantation fluence increases, the probability of their formation decreases. It is shown that annealing of the implanted structures can increase the strength of the Ni–Ti alloy. The degree of hardening is determined by the value of annealing temperature, and an increase in strength is primarily due to ordering of the radiation-induced defect structures (phases). A correlation between the onset temperature of a forward martensitic transition and the structural-phase state of the thermally annealed Ni–Ti alloy is established.