Microstructural characterization in 7 at% Al-containing NiTi-based alloys

The microstructural evolution of Ni–42Ti–7Al and Ni–41Ti–7Al alloys as a function of solution and aging heat treatment was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron probe, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results reveal that the volume fraction of Ti₂Ni phase as well as its composition does not change significantly after as-solution treated at 1200 °C and aged at 850 °C. At the early stage of the aging treatment at 850 °C for 1 h, the cuboidal β′ precipitate keeps coherency with the matrix; further aging, β′ precipitate coarsens, and the semicoherency between the β/β′ two phases are observed. The shape of coarsened β′ precipitates changes to the globule, and the interface dislocations are introduced accompanied by the occurrence of semicoherent precipitates. Under the same heat treatment, compared to the Ni–42Ti–7Al alloy, the lattice misfits of the Ni–41Ti–7Al alloy between the β and β′ two phases are larger, so the β′ precipitates in Ni–41Ti–7Al alloy are coarsened severely and easily lose coherency with the matrix. The thermal stability of Ni–41Ti–7Al alloy is much worse when aging at 850 °C.