Crystallography and interfacial structure of twinned shape memory martensite

2003 ◽  
Vol 112 ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Dunne ◽  
D. Liu
Author(s):  
Jeff Perkins ◽  
M. H. Wu ◽  
K. Adachi

The delineation of interfaces and substructures by conventional transmission electron microscopy is reviewed for three different transformations of interest in copper-based shape memory alloys.The first case considers the interfacial structure of martensite plate boundaries in a Cu-14.6Zn-16.1Al (atomic %) alloy. The detailed structure of such interfaces is important to their relative mobility in shape memory alloys. One-dimensional lattice images such as seen in Fig. 1 help to model the effect of substructural features in the martensite on the atomistic structure and so the mobility of such boundaries1. In the example shown, the presence of very thin structural faults with a 2H structure are detected within an otherwise 18R martensite plate.The second case describes the interaction of the state of parent phase order with the structure of bainite plates formed upon isothermal aging at 150-350 C in a Cu-27Zn-4Al (weight %) alloy . Two types of atomic ordering occur in the parent phase and tend to be inherited by the bainite transformation product.


Author(s):  
F. I. Grace

An interest in NiTi alloys with near stoichiometric composition (55 NiTi) has intensified since they were found to exhibit a unique mechanical shape memory effect at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory some twelve years ago (thus refered to as NITINOL alloys). Since then, the microstructural mechanisms associated with the shape memory effect have been investigated and several interesting engineering applications have appeared.The shape memory effect implies that the alloy deformed from an initial shape will spontaneously return to that initial state upon heating. This behavior is reported to be related to a diffusionless shear transformation which takes place between similar but slightly different CsCl type structures.


Author(s):  
J.K. Weiss ◽  
M. Gajdardziska-Josifovska ◽  
M. R. McCartney ◽  
David J. Smith

Interfacial structure is a controlling parameter in the behavior of many materials. Electron microscopy methods are widely used for characterizing such features as interface abruptness and chemical segregation at interfaces. The problem for high resolution microscopy is to establish optimum imaging conditions for extracting this information. We have found that off-axis electron holography can provide useful information for the study of interfaces that is not easily obtained by other techniques.Electron holography permits the recovery of both the amplitude and the phase of the image wave. Recent studies have applied the information obtained from electron holograms to characterizing magnetic and electric fields in materials and also to atomic-scale resolution enhancement. The phase of an electron wave passing through a specimen is shifted by an amount which is proportional to the product of the specimen thickness and the projected electrostatic potential (ignoring magnetic fields and diffraction effects). If atomic-scale variations are ignored, the potential in the specimen is described by the mean inner potential, a bulk property sensitive to both composition and structure. For the study of interfaces, the specimen thickness is assumed to be approximately constant across the interface, so that the phase of the image wave will give a picture of mean inner potential across the interface.


Author(s):  
Jun Liu ◽  
Katie E. Gunnison ◽  
Mehmet Sarikaya ◽  
Ilhan A. Aksay

The interfacial structure between the organic and inorganic phases in biological hard tissues plays an important role in controlling the growth and the mechanical properties of these materials. The objective of this work was to investigate these interfaces in nacre by transmission electron microscopy. The nacreous section of several different seashells -- abalone, pearl oyster, and nautilus -- were studied. Nacre is a laminated composite material consisting of CaCO3 platelets (constituting > 90 vol.% of the overall composite) separated by a thin organic matrix. Nacre is of interest to biomimetics because of its highly ordered structure and a good combination of mechanical properties. In this study, electron transparent thin sections were prepared by a low-temperature ion-beam milling procedure and by ultramicrotomy. To reveal structures in the organic layers as well as in the interfacial region, samples were further subjected to chemical fixation and labeling, or chemical etching. All experiments were performed with a Philips 430T TEM/STEM at 300 keV with a liquid Nitrogen sample holder.


Author(s):  
Andreas M. Borchert

In Al/Al2O3 MMC's the metal/ceramic interfacial structure is of great concern because aluminum does not wet (i.e. bond) well to alumina. One proposed method to overcome this problem is to form a magnesium-rich spinel (MgAl2O4) as an additional phase between the aluminum matrix and the alumina particle. The spinel forms by diffusion of Mg from the matrix and improves the bonding. Typically the SEM would be the most suitable instrument to study the spinel, but this particular material combination (alumina/spinel) does not have sufficient secondary or backscattered electron contrast to allow for normal imaging. The purpose of this work was to develop a technique for examining the growth and morphology of this spinel at the Al/Al2O3 interface. Samples of an Al/Al2O3 MMC with a spinel at the particle interface were prepared according to standard metallographic procedures. Certain samples were sputter coated with a gold film of approximately 12 nm thickness; other samples were examined uncoated. Nonconductive, uncoated specimens charge under the incident electron beam if the accelerating voltage is below E1 or above E2 in Figure 1. In both of cases (below E1 and above E2) the number of electrons entering the sample is higher than the number of electrons leaving the sample. The resolving power of the SEM is usually degraded by this effect and therefore nonconductive specimens are coated with a layer of conductive material prior to observation. Figure 2 shows how this effect can create contrast between two materials due to its effect on the secondary electron detector bias voltage. Figure 3 shows that this contrast mechanism exists for the material combination alumina/spinel. The secondary electron image of a coated sample (3a) shows almost no contrast between alumina and spinel whereas the uncoated sample (3b) shows good contrast due to the different charging characteristics of the materials. The alumina charges stronger than the spinel and appears brighter in the image. The assumption that the effect is due to secondary electrons is supported by Figure 4. The micrograph in Figure 4a was obtained by backscattered electrons only and shows poor contrast whereas the micrograph in Figure 4b was obtained by secondary and backscattered electrons and shows good contrast. Figure 5 shows micrographs obtained at different operating voltages. The reduction in contrast at lower operating voltages is due to reduced charging.


Author(s):  
J.M. Guilemany ◽  
F. Peregrin

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.


Author(s):  
Margaret L. Sattler ◽  
Michael A. O'Keefe

Multilayered materials have been fabricated with such high perfection that individual layers having two atoms deep are possible. Characterization of the interfaces between these multilayers is achieved by high resolution electron microscopy and Figure 1a shows the cross-section of one type of multilayer. The production of such an image with atomically smooth interfaces depends upon certain factors which are not always reliable. For example, diffusion at the interface may produce complex interlayers which are important to the properties of the multilayers but which are difficult to observe. Similarly, anomalous conditions of imaging or of fabrication may occur which produce images having similar traits as the diffusion case above, e.g., imaging on a tilted/bent multilayer sample (Figure 1b) or deposition upon an unaligned substrate (Figure 1c). It is the purpose of this study to simulate the image of the perfect multilayer interface and to compare with simulated images having these anomalies.


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