Abstract
The effect of Al doping on microstructure, crystal structure, martensitic transformation, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx (0≤x≤2) magnetic shape memory alloys was studied by the material preparation method of arc melting. The results show that the grain size of the alloy is reduced by replacing part of In with Al, and the average grain size is reduced to about 10 μm when 2at% Al element is doped, which is about 1/35 of that of the undoped sample. When the doping amount of Al is 0.25at%‒2at%, the metal Al is completely dissolved into the matrix, and the solid solubility of Al in the alloy increases with the increase in the doping amount; when the doping amount is 2at%, the solid solubility of Al in the matrix is close to 2at%. With the substitution of Al for In, the alloy changes from the two-phase structure of L21 cubic austenite and monoclinic 6M martensite to a single 6M at room temperature, the unit cell volume gradually decreases, and the martensitic transformation temperature shows an upward trend. The compressive strength of the alloy continues to increase, and compared with that of Ni48Co1Mn37In14, the compressive fracture strength of Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 is increased by 160%, and the compressive strain also increases from 5.46% to 6.36%. After an appropriate amount of Al replacing In, the corrosion resistance of the alloy in artificial seawater generally shows an increasing trend. The corrosion resistance of Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 alloy is significantly higher than that of Ni48Co1Mn37In14 alloy, and its corrosion resistance is close to that of 304 stainless steel.
Martensitic transformation, as the physical basis of shape memory alloys, has been applied in human life. Shape memory alloys have developed into intelligent materials, and shows broad application prospects in the field of intelligent technology in the future thanks to the research on the martensitic transformatio
Ni, Co, Mn, In and Al elements with purity above 99.99% were used as the ingredients according to the nominal composition of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, at%) alloy. The samples were prepared in a WK-II type non-consumable vacuum arc furnace filled with high-purity argon and repeatedly melted four times to obtain round ingots with uniform composition. After cooling, the alloy block was sealed in a vacuum quartz tube filled with argon for annealing treatment. The alloy block was held at 1173 K for 24 h and then quenched with water to obtain higher order.
The HA400 WEDM machine was used to obtain samples that meet the test requirements. The microstructure of the alloy was observed by Olympus metallographic microscope and Hitachi S-4800 scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Five points were selected for testing on each sample, and the average value was taken as the result of the final composition ratio. The phase composition and crystal structure were analyzed by LabX XRD-6100 X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The test angle was 20°‒100°, and the scanning rate was 2°/min. The martensitic transformation temperature was measured by Perkin-Emer diamond differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The test temperature was 200‒500 K, and the heating and cooling rates were 10 K/min. The room temperature compression test was carried out on the CSS-43300 electronic universal mechanical testing machine. The sample size was Φ3 mm×5 mm cylinder, and the compression rate was 0.1 mm/min. The fracture morphology was observed by SEM. The working face of 1 c

Fig.1 Optical microscope microstructures of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys: (a) x=0, (b) x=0.25, (c) x=0.5, and (d) x=2
Composition | Ni | Co | Mn | In | Al |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ni48Co1Mn37In14 | 48.6 | 0.9 | 36.9 | 13.6 | - |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13.75Al0.25 | 48.3 | 0.9 | 36.4 | 13.9 | 0.5 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13.5Al0.5 | 49.1 | 0.8 | 36.8 | 13.4 | 0.7 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13.25Al0.75 | 47.8 | 0.9 | 36.5 | 13.3 | 0.7 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13Al1 | 48.6 | 0.8 | 37.0 | 12.6 | 1.1 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 | 48.8 | 1.1 | 36.9 | 11.3 | 2.0 |

Fig.2 XRD patterns of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys at room temperature
We calculated the lattice constant and cell volume using the Bragg equation.
x | a/×1 | b/×1 | c/×1 | Vm/×1 | β/(°) | Room temperature phase |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 4.39 | 5.70 | 12.96 | 323.94 | 93.18 | 6M+A |
0.25 | 4.40 | 5.63 | 12.98 | 320.79 | 93.46 | 6M |
0.5 | 4.38 | 5.61 | 13.03 | 319.36 | 93.91 | 6M |
0.75 | 4.40 | 5.63 | 12.97 | 320.55 | 92.73 | 6M |
1 | 4.43 | 5.55 | 13.02 | 319.66 | 91.34 | 6M |
2 | 4.39 | 5.59 | 13.01 | 318.39 | 94.11 | 6M |

Fig.3 DSC curves of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys: (a) x=0, (b) x=0.25, (c) x=0.5, (d) x=0.75, (e) x=1, and (f) x=2
The temperatures of martensite start (Ms) and end (Mf), austenite start (As) and end (Af) were measured by tangent method and listed in
x | Ms/K | Mf/K | As/K | Af/K | ΔThys/K |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 270 | 262 | 272 | 280 | 10 |
0.25 | 309 | 295 | 302 | 320 | 9 |
0.5 | 312 | 302 | 312 | 320 | 9 |
0.75 | 327 | 318 | 326 | 336 | 8.5 |
1 | 310 | 285 | 292 | 319 | 8 |
2 | 326 | 308 | 319 | 334 | 8 |
The martensitic transformation temperature of Ni48Co1Mn37-In14-xAlx alloys is shown in

Fig.4 Effect of Al content on characteristic temperature of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys

Fig.5 Compression stress-strain curves of Ni48Co1Mn37-In14-xAlx alloys at room temperature

Fig.6 Effect of Al content on fracture strength (a) and fracture strain (b) of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys
In order to study the fracture mechanism of the alloy and to analyze the toughening mechanism,

Fig.7 Compression fracture morphologies of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloys: (a) x=0.25, (b) x=0.5, (c) x=1, and (d) x=2
In summary, an appropriate amount of Al addition can significantly improve the compressive strength and compressive strain of NiCoMnIn alloy as well as the plasticity and toughness of the alloy. The main reasons for the improvement in mechanical properties of the alloy are the following two points. (1) From the microstructure and crystal structure of the alloy, it can be seen that Al plays an obvious role in fine-grain strengthening. By effectively dispersing the plastic deformation of the grain and reducing the stress concentration, the plasticity and toughness of the alloy are enhanced. (2) Al with a small atomic radius is solidified into the matrix, resulting in a certain degree of lattice distortion, reducing the dislocation degree of grain movement, and thus improving the strength of the alloy.

Fig.8 Polarization curves of Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloy and 304 stainless steel
The characteristic parameters of polarization curves obtained by Tafel fitting are shown in
Composition | Ecorr/mV | Icorr/μA·c | Corrosion rate/mm· |
---|---|---|---|
Ni48Co1Mn37In14 | -652.7 | 1.493 | 0.069 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13.5Al0.5 | -924.5 | 1.996 | 0.093 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13.25Al0.75 | -653.5 | 1.319 | 0.061 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In13Al1 | -682.7 | 1.148 | 0.053 |
Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 | -639.4 | 1.038 | 0.048 |
304 Stainless Steel | -559.3 | 4.192 | 0.049 |
1) For Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx (x=0.25, 0.5, 1,2, at%) alloy, with the increase in Al content, the grain size is obviously refined. When Al content is 2at%, the average grain size decreases from 350 μm to about 10 μm. When the Al content is between 0.25at% and 2at%, the second phase is not observed in the alloy. The metal Al is completely dissolved in the matrix, and the solid solubility in the alloy also increases with the increase of Al in Al content. When 2at% Al is used to replace In, the solid solubility of Al in the matrix is close to 2at%.
2) The crystal structure of Ni48Co1Mn37In14 alloy at room temperature is a mixed structure of cubic L21 austenite and monoclinic 6M modulated martensite. When the Al content increases from 0.25at% to 2at%, the austenite phase disappears, and the alloy presents a single-phase monoclinic 6M martensite. With the increase in Al content, the lattice constant b decreases, and the cell volume decreases as a whole.
3) The Ni48Co1Mn37In14-xAlx alloy experiences one-step thermoelastic martensitic transformation during the heating and cooling process. When the Al content increases from 0at% to 2at%, the martensitic transformation temperature of the alloy system shows an overall upward trend, from 270 K to 326 K, and the thermal hysteresis also decreases from 10 K
to 8 K.
4) With the substitution of Al for In, the mechanical proper-ties of the Ni-Co-Mn-In alloy are significantly improved. The compressive fracture strength of Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 reaches 488 MPa, which is 160% higher than that of Ni48Co1Mn37In14, and the compressive strain also increases from 5.46% to 6.36%, which is due to the effect of Al doping on fine grain strengthening and solid solution strengthening. The com-pression fracture morphology of quaternary Ni48Co1Mn37In14 alloy is a single intergranular fracture, showing high brittle-ness. After doping of trace Al element, transgranular fracture characteristics appear, and the fracture mechanism gradually evolves from single brittle fracture to plastic fracture, with higher plasticity and toughness.
5) With the substitution of Al for In, the corrosion resistance of the alloy in artificial seawater solution shows an overall increasing trend. The corrosion resistance rate of Ni48Co1Mn37In12Al2 alloy is 0.048 mm/a, which is only 70% of that of the undoped alloy, showing good corrosion resistance, and its corrosion resistance is close to that of 304 stainless steel.
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