Production and functional characterization of TiNiCu based shape memory alloys

摘要

In recent years, the TiNiCu Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) received a great deal of attention as they exhibit the well known shape memory effect and pseudoelastic properties without the main disadvantages that hindered the use of binary TiNi in many technological fields. The binary TiNi SMA exhibits a two-step thermoelastic martensitic transformation, from the high temperature body centered cubic B2 phase to the trigonal R-phase and to the monoclinic B19' phase. The R-phase transformation is characterised by stability with respect to thermal and mechanical cycling, but small recoverable strain (lower than 1