Influence of Fe addition on phase transformation behavior of NiTi shape memory alloy

Three different NiTi-based alloys, whose nominal compositions were Ni50Ti50, Ni49Ti49Fe2, Ni45Ti51.8Fe3.2 (mole fraction, %), respectively, were used in the current research to understand the influence of Fe addition on phase transformation behavior in NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA). The microstructure and phase transformation behavior of the alloys were investigated by optical microscopy (OM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The results show that the matrix of the Ni50Ti50 alloy consists of both B19' (martensite) phase and B2 (austenite) phase. Moreover, the substructures of twins could be observed in the B19' phase. However, the ternary alloys of NiTiFe exhibit B2 phase in the microstructures. Such microstructures were also characterized by large presence of Ti2Ni precipitates dispersed homogenously in the matrix of the two kinds of alloys. The addition of Fe to the NiTi SMA results in the decrease in phase transformation temperatures in the ternary alloys. Based on mechanism analysis, it can be concluded that this phenomenon is primarily attributed to atom relaxation of the distorted lattice induced by Ni-antisite defects and Fe substitutions during phase transformation, which enables stabilization of B2 phase during phase transformation.