Copper-based alloy having superelastic and shape memory properties, as well as their production process member made thereof

摘要

The present invention provides a copper-based alloy having high shape memory properties and superelasticity while maintaining an excellent workability, members such as a wire, plate, pipe, etc. made of the copper-based alloy, and methods for producing them. The copper-based alloy has a recrystallization structure substantially composed of beta-single phase, and can be produced by a method comprising the steps of: forming an alloy by cold-working with a particular maximum cold-working ratio; and subjecting the cold-worked alloy to at least one solution treatment for improving a crystal orientation of the beta-single phase, a quenching and an aging treatment. The maximum cold-working ratio is set so that the crystal orientation density of the beta-single phase measured by an electron back scattering pattern method is 2.0 or more in a cold-working direction.