Martensitic and magnetic transformations of Ni-Ga-Fe-Co ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

摘要

Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys （FSMAs） such as NiMnGa, FePd and FePt are attractive as a new magnetic actuator material. They show a large magnetic-field-induced strain of 3% 9% due to the variant rearrangement. Recently, the present authors have reported that in the Ni-Ga-Fe alloy the martensitic transformationfrom the B2 and/or the L21 structures into a seven-layer or five-layer modulated structure occurs upon cooling. In this alloy system, however, it is impossible to obtain a martensite phase at RT with a Curie temperature （TC） higher than 100 ℃. In this work,the effects of substitution of Co for Ni on the martensitic and magnetic transformations,crystal structures and phase equilibria in Ni-Ga-Fe alloys were studied.Ni-Ga-Fe-Co alloys were prepared by induction melting under an argon atmosphere.Small pieces of specimens were taken from the ingot and homogenized at 1433 K for 24 h followed by quenching in water. The obtained specimens were aged at 773 K for 24 h and then quenched. The compositions of each phase were determined by energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy （EDX）. The martensitic transformation temperatures and TC were measured by differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM） measurement. The crystal structure of martensite phase was observed by X-ray diffractmeter （XRD） and transmission electron microscope （TEM）.The Curie temperature TC was increased with increasing Co content while the martensitic transformation temperature slightly decreased. In the Ni54-x Ga27 Fe19 Cox ,TC increases from 303 K to 408 K with increasing Co content from x=0 to x=6. The crystal structure of the martensite phase and the phase equiribria in the Ni-Fe-Ga-Co alloys will be also presented.