TEM study of order, structure and defects of β and martensite in Cu-Al-Mn shape memory alloys

The shape memory effect (SME) shown by Cu-Al-Mn alloys stems from the thermoelastic martensitic transformation occuring between a β (L2,) metastable phase and a martensitic phase. The TEM study of both phases in single and polycrystalline Cu-Al-Mn alloys give us greater knowledge of the structure, order and defects.The alloys were obtained by vacuum melting of Cu, Al and Mn and single crystals were obtained from polycrystalline alloys using a modified Bridgman method. Four different alloys were used with (e/a) ranging from 1.41 to 1.46 . Two different heat treatments were used and the alloys also underwent thermal cycling throughout their characteristic temperature range -Ms, Mf, As, Af-. The specimens were cut using a low speed diamond saw and discs were mechanically thinned to 100 μm and then ion milled to perforation at 4 kV. Some thin foils were also prepared by twin-jet electropolishing, using a (1:10:50:50) urea: isopropyl alcohol: orthophosphoric acid: ethanol solution at 20°C. The foils were examinated on a TEM operated at 200 kV.