The magnetic shape memory (MSM) alloy Fe70Pd30 is of particular interest for novel microactuator and sensor applications. This review summarizes the underlying physical and material science concepts for this MSM alloy system. First-principles calculations of the electronic and crystallographic structure together with combinatorial and epitaxial film studies are presented. By these complementary...

Inelastic neutron scattering measurements were carried out on the Ti50Pd50-xCrx alloy, which has the potential for being a high temperature shape memory material. For x=0, the transformation temperature is ~800K and for the composition studied (x=8 at.%) TM ~ 400K. The majority of the measurements were performed in the parent, β-phase, up to 873K. Most of the phonons propagating along the three...

Cryogenic treatments are increasingly used to improve the wear resistance of various steel alloys by means of transformation of retained austenite, deformation of virgin martensite and carbide refinement. In this work the nanotribological behavior and mechanical properties at the nano-scale of cryogenically and conventionally treated AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel were evaluated. Conventi...

We give an analysis of the stability and uniqueness of the simply laminated microstructure for all three tetragonal to monoclinic martensitic transformations. The energy density for tetragonal to monoclinic transformations has four rotationally invariant wells since the transformation has four variants. One of these tetragonal to monoclinic martensitic transformations corresponds to the shearin...

Deformation mechanisms of as-deposited and post-annealed Ti50.2Ni49.6, Ti50.3Ni46.2Cu3.5 and Ti48.5Ni40.8Cu7.5 thin films were investigated using the in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique. Results showed that initial crystalline phases determined the deformation mechanisms of all the films during tensile loading. For the films dominated by monoclinic martensites (B19'), tensile stress...

The shape memory alloys present, in the high temperature phase, a super-elastic behaviour : during a super-elastic test, the martensitic transformation is induced by the stress, and a large reversible deformation is observed. With a single crystal, the maximum superelastic deformation reaches 8 to 10%. During the tensile test on a single crystal, only one variant of martensite is induced in the...

The magnetostructural transitions, magnetocaloric effects, and magnetoresistance properties of Ni45Mn43CrSn11 Heusler alloys were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-dependent magnetization, and electrical resistivity measurements. A large inverse and direct magnetocaloric effect has been observed in Ni45Mn43CrSn11 across the martensitic and Curie transition temperature, respectiv...