Phase transitions in the shape memory alloy CuAlNi

Shape memory alloys exhibit a complex load-deformation temperature behaviour. In CuAlNi different maximal recoverable deformations may be observed in tensile experiments. We have found five phases and their corresponding phase transitions, two of them are reversible and the others exhibit hysteresis. We use a thermodynamic theory to calculate the energy landscape that describes the behaviour of the CuAlNi specimen.Received: 8 March 2004, Accepted: 9 March 2004, Published online: 12 May 2004 Correspondence to: A. Musolff