Effect of Thermal Cycle and Aging Heat Treatment on Transformation Characteristics of Cu-Zn-Al Shape Memory Alloys

Cu-Zn-Al계 형상기억합금의 변태특성에 미치는 열 Cycle 및 시효열처리의 영향

The effects of thermal cycle, aging heat treatment and Boron addition on the phase transformation characteristics and mechanical properties of the shape memory alloys of Cu-Zn-Al system, which was designed to operate about $80^{\circ}C$ by this research group, were studied. From the view point of the effects of thermal cycle on the phase transformation temperature change, it was found that up to 100 cycles Ms and Af points increased by $3-7^{\circ}C$ and Mf decreased a little bit and after that all of them were remain constant, and As point was not affected. All of the phase transformation temperatures were decreased $5-7^{\circ}C$ by aging heat treatment, at $140^{\circ}C$ for 24h however the effects of thermal cycle on aged alloys were same as on unaged alloys. As the thermal cycle increased the shape memory ability decreased a little up to 20 cycles, but above that it kept almost same ability. By Boron addition, grain size was refined from $1500{\mu}m$ to about $330{\mu}m$ and the hardness, fatigue property were improved but shape memory ability was lowered.