The martensitic transformation texture in Ti-6Al-4V

The transformation texture associated with martensite formation in the titanium alloy Ti- 6Al-4V has been investigated. Samples were heated into the fully b phase and quenched to form a microstructure of very fine a' martensite with no evidence of diffusional transformation at the prior b grain boundaries. EBSD texture measurements on the martensite showed that within each prior b grain, although typically all 12 variants of a’ were formed, the fractions of variants was far from uniform. The a’ texture was markedly different from values calculated using equal variant probability, also indicating that significant variant selection was occurring during martensitic transformation. This effect was modelled on the basis of elastic interaction between martensite events.

Experiment and theoretical prediction of martensitic transformation crystallography in a Ni–Mn–Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloy

A detailed study of martensitic transformation crystallography and microstructural characteristics in the Ni53Mn25Ga22 ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA) was performed by both experimental observation and theoretical calculation. It is revealed that there are two microscopically twin-related martensitic variants with a misorientation of ∼82° around the 〈1 1 0〉_M axis in each initial austenite grain. The twin interface plane was determined to be {0.399 0.383 0.833}_M (1.79° away from {1 1 2}_M). The ratio of the amounts of the two variants inherited from one single austenite grain is about 1.70. The prevalent orientation relationship between austenite and martensite was found to be Kurdjumov–Sachs (K–S) relationship with (1 1 1)_A//(1 0 1)_M, [110]A//[111]_M. A successful explanation of the crystallographic features during martensitic transformation will shed light on the development of FSMAs with optimal performance.

Crystallographic features during martensitic transformation in Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

The martensitic transformation crystallography in two Ni ₅₃Mn₂₅Ga₂₂ (at. %) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs) was investigated by means of misorientation calculation and pole figure analysis based on the orientation of the martensitic lamellae obtained from electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) measurements. In the alloy that was first annealed at 1073K for 4h, and then cooled to 473K at ~4K/min and held for 30min, followed by cooling to room temperature at ~10K/min, there are only two kinds of differently orientated martensitic lamellae with a misorientation angle of ~82° distributed alternatively in each initial austenite grain. There is a compound twinning orientation relationship between the two lamellae. The prevalent orientation relationship between austenite and martensite is Kurdjumov-Sachs (K-S) relationship with (111)_A//(10I)_M, [1-10]_a//[11-1]_m. In the alloy that was annealed at 1173K for 4h followed by furnace cooling, nanoscale twins inside the martensitic lamellae were observed and the orientation relationships both between the nanotwins within one lamella and between the nanotwins in two neighboring lamellae were determined. The results presented in this paper will enrich the crystallographic data of the FSMAs and offer useful information for the development of novel FSMAs with optimal performances.

Effect of transformation volume contraction on the toughness of superelastic shape memory alloys

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) exhibit two very important properties: shape memory phenomenon and superelastic deformation due to intrinsic thermoelastic martensitic transformation. To fully exploit the potential of SMAs in developing functional structures or smart structures in mechanical and biomechanical engineering, it is important to understand and quantify the failure mechanisms of SMAs. This paper presents a theoretical study of the effect of phase-transformation-induced volume contraction on the fracture properties of superelastic SMAs. A simple model is employed to account for the forward and reverse phase transformation with pure volume change, which is then applied to numerically study the transformation field near the tip of a tensile crack. The results reveal that during steady-state crack propagation, the transformation zone extends ahead of the crack tip due to forward transformation while partial reverse transformation occurs in the wake. Furthermore, as a result of the volume contraction associated with the austenite-to-martensite transformation, the induced stress-intensity factor is positive. This is in stark contrast with the negative stress-intensity factor achieved in zirconia ceramics, which undergoes volume expansion during phase transformation. The reverse transformation has been found to have a negligible effect on the induced stress-intensity factor. An important implication of the present results is that the phase transformation with volume contraction in SMAs tends to reduce their fracture resistance and increase the brittleness.

In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies of the effect of microstructure on tensile behavior and retained austenite stability of thermo-mechanically processed transformation induced plasticity steel

Transmission electron microscopy and in situ synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the martensitic transformation and lattice strains under uniaxial tensile loading of Fe-Mn-Si-C-Nb-Mo-Al Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel subjected to different thermo-mechanical processing schedules. In contrast with most of the diffraction analysis of TRIP steels reported previously, the diffraction peaks from the martensite phase were separated from the peaks of the ferrite-bainite α-matrix. The volume fraction of retained γ-austenite, as well as the lattice strain, were determined from the diffraction patterns recorded during tensile deformation. Although significant austenite to martensite transformation starts around the macroscopic yield stress, some austenite grains had already experienced martensitic transformation. Hooke's Law was used to calculate the phase stress of each phase from their lattice strain. The ferrite-bainite α-matrix was observed to yield earlier than austenite and martensite. The discrepancy between integrated phase stresses and experimental macroscopic stress is about 300 MPa. A small increase in carbon concentration in retained austenite at the early stage of deformation was detected, but with further straining a continuous slight decrease in carbon content occurred, indicating that mechanical stability factors, such as grain size, morphology and orientation of the retained austenite, played an important role during the retained austenite to martensite transformation.

Counter-revolution, order and international politics

Every social revolution has elicited some form of counter-revolutionary response from the international system. The impulse to reverse revolutionary transformation has much to tell us about the dynamics of social revolution as well as the nature of international order. The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between counter-revolution and international order. First it establishes a basic conceptual framework of international counter-revolution and argues that counter-revolution should be understood as more than just an active opposition to revolution and also examines the motives of counter-revolutionaries. Second, using two interpretations of the international system – those of Henry Kissinger and Raymond Aron – the article draws several conclusions about the international tendency to attempt to overturn revolution and concludes that there exist international systemic pressures, of a non-neorealist kind, which provide the basis for international order. These pressures not only produce order but, at certain times, impel states to counter radical transformations in parts of the world which seem, at first glance, to have little consequence for the functioning of international order.

Design of a new biocompatible ti-based shape memory alloy and its superelastic deformation behaviour

Titanium-nickel (Ti-Ni) shape memory alloys have been widely used for biomedical applications in recent years. However, it is reported that Ni is allergic and possibly carcinogenic for the human body. Therefore, it is desirable to develop new Ni-free Ti-based shape memory alloys for biomedical applications. In the present study, a new Ti-18Nb-5Mo-5Sn (wt.%) alloy, containing only biocompatible alloying elements, was designed with the aid of molecular orbital method and produced by vacuum arc melting. Both β and α″ martensitic phases were found to coexist in the alloy after ice-water quenching, indicating the martensitic transformation. The phase transformation temperatures of the Ti-18Nb-5Mo-5Sn alloy were M_s = 7.3 °C, M_f = −31.0 °C, A_s = 9.9 °C, and A_f = 54.8 °C. Superelasticity was observed in the alloy at a temperature higher than the A_f temperature. A totally recovered strain of 3.5 % was achieved for the newly designed Ti-based shape memory alloy with a pre-strain of 4 %.

Crystal structures and textures in the hot-forged Ni-Mn-Ga shape memory alloys

Three ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys with the chemical compositions of Ni₅₃Mn₂₅Ga₂₂, Ni₄₈Mn₃₀Ga₂₂, and Ni₄₈Mn₂₅Ga₂₂Co₅ were prepared by the induction-melting and hot-forging process. The crystal structures were investigated by the neutron powder diffraction technique, showing that Ni₅₃Mn₂₅Ga₂₂ and Ni₄₈Mn₂₅Ga₂₂Co₅ have a tetragonal, 14/mmm martensitic structure at room temperature, while Ni₄₈Mn₃₀Ga₂₂ has a cubic, L2₁ austenitic structure at room temperature. The development of textures in the hot-forged samples shows the in-plane plastic flow anisotropy from the measured pole figures by means of the neutron diffraction technique. Significant texture changes were observed for the Ni₄₈Mn₂₅Ga₂₂Co₅ alloy after room temperature deformation, which is due to the deformation-induced rearrangements of martensitic variants. An excellent shape-memory effect (SME) with a recovery ratio of 74 pct was reported in this Ni₄₈Mn₂₅Ga₂₂Co₅ polycrystalline alloy after annealing above the martensitic transformation temperature, and the “shape-memory” influence also occurs in the distributions of grain orientations.