Effect of Silver Addition on Cu-based Shape Memory Alloys

Abstract

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are smart materials with unique properties of super-elasticity and shape memory effect. These properties are the consequence of thermoelastic martensitic transformation, which can occur under thermal or mechanical deformation. Cu-Al-Ag alloys have high temperatures of martensite transformation, unlike other SMAs, which makes them suitable for use in specific applications. In this paper, Cu-10Al-1Ag alloy was prepared by melting pure metals in an electric arc furnace and casting the melt in a cylindrical mold. The microstructure of the as-cast and quenched material was determined by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive analysis (EDS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed to identify crystal phases in the microstructure, while transformation temperatures were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The hardness of Cu-Al-Ag SMA was also determined with a microhardness tester. The results showed partially formed martensite in the as-cast state, and fully formed martensite structure, 18R-type, in the quenched Cu-10Al-1Ag alloy.