High-temperature shape memory effect and the B2-L10 thermoelastic martensitic transformation in Ni-Mn intermetallics

The properties and structure of the martensitic phase of alloys with a near-stoichiometric equiatomic Ni₅₀Mn₅₀ composition, as well as martensitic transformations in them, are investigated in a wide temperature range by measuring the resistivity and thermal expansion coefficient and applying transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction. It is found that Ni₅₀Mn₅₀ and Ni₄₉Mn₅₁ alloys experience the B2 → L1₀ highly reversible thermoelastic martensitic transformation and its related high-temperature deformation of the transformation and shape memory effect. Critical temperatures, volume (ΔV/V = ?1.7%) and linear size effects attributed to the direct and reverse martensitic transformations, and the high-temperature dependences of the martensitic and austenite lattice parameters are determined. It is found that the morphology of tetragonal L1₀ martensitic represents a hierarchy of thin coherent sheets of submicrocrystallites and nanocrystallites with plane near-{111}L1₀ habit boundaries, the crystallites being pairwise twinned according to the {111}〈11 $\bar 2$ 〉 _L10 ∥ {011}〈-1 $\bar 1$ 〉 _B2 twinning shear scheme.