Papers by Keyword: NiMnGa

Abstract: Heusler NiMnGa alloys are often categorized as ferromagnetic shape memory alloys or magnetocaloric materials, which are important for both practical applications and fundamental research. The NiMnGa alloys undergo a series of diffusion and diffusionless transformation from high temperature to low temperature. Among these transformation, martensitic transformation from austenitic phase to martensitic phase is critical in determining the properties of the alloys. Although martensitic transformation is considered diffusionless, diffusion also has important applications in the research of NiMnGa alloysDiffusion couples along with equilibrium alloys have been used to determine the ternary phase diagrams in NiMnGa alloys. Phase diagrams are important in selecting NiMnGa alloys, in particular two-phase NiMnGa alloys for practical applications. Furthermore, the diffusion couples effectively assist in the determination of compositions that exhibit martensitic transformation temperature near room temperature. Diffusion coefficients have been assessed for NiMnGa alloys. Tracer diffusivity of Ni, Mn and Ga was reported in a wide temperature range and followed Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energies were obtained, corresponding to B2 and L2₁ crystal structure, respectively. Interdiffusion coefficients for NiMnGa alloys with B2 crystal structure are measured, which showed that Ni diffuses the fastest, followed by Mn then Ga. The diffusion coefficients provide useful information for fabricating NiMnGa alloys through diffusional process.A combinatorial approach involving diffusion couples and advance characterization has been developed to investigate the mechanical properties, microstructure and crystallography of NiMnGa alloys rapidly and systematically over a large compositional range. The composition-dependent modulus and hardness for NiMnGa alloys was extracted from the diffusion couples with the help of nanoindentation. Martensitic phases with non-modulated and various modulated crystal structures, and austenitic phase were identified in the interdiffusion zones by transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate the capability of using diffusion couples to speed up the discovery of new NiMnGa alloys or other similar alloys showing martensitic transformation.

Abstract: The ferromagnetic shape memory and magnetocaloric properties of NiMnGa alloys are closely related to the martensitic transformation from high temperature austenitic phase to low temperature martensitic phase. The transformation temperature and the resulting microstructure and crystallography of the martensites can be very complex, but are crucial to the optimization of the material performance. A combinatorial study with a series of solid-to-solid diffusion couples and various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam, transmission electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and nanoindentation, was carried out to investigate the microstructural and crystallographic development, and mechanical properties in NiMnGa alloys. Both austenitic and martensitic phases were found at room temperature in each diffusion couple with a clear interphase boundary. Crystallographic variations in martensitic phase, including non-modulated (NM) martensite and modulated (5M or 7M) martensite, were found in the diffusion couples. All martensitic microstructure consists of variants with different orientations and the twinning relationship. A decrease of reduced elastic modulus (E_r) was observed with Ni substituting for Ga in the austenitic phase. However, an opposite trend of an increase in E_r was found in the martensitic phase. The softening of the elastic constants near the vicinity of martensitic transformation contributed to a sharp decrease in E_r near the interphase boundary. The measured E_r had a larger scatter for the martensitic phase than that for the austenitic phase.

Abstract: In this paper the recent development of NiMnGa-particles-embedded polymer-matrix magnetodriven composites achieved by our group is described. The NiMnGa single-crystal particles can be easily fabricated by mechanically crushing the polycrystalline ingots due to intrinsic intergranular brittleness. The elastic back stress from the matrix polymer induces the reverse reorientation of martensite variants after removing the magnetic field. However, the actuation strain observed was very small around 10ppm which was 1/1000 times lower than the calculated value. Some possible reasons for the disagreement are that the crystallographic orientation of NiMnGa particles is random distribution, lattice defects introduced during crushing suppress reorientation of martensite variants, and that the elastic restriction from the matrix polymer is higher than expected. Therefore, the martensite variant reorientation behavior of the NiMnGa/silicone composites has been investigated from the viewpoint of (1) volume fraction of matrix polymer, (2) elastic modulus of polymer and (3) direction of magnetic field applied. And also, the internal structures of the composites were directly evaluated by microfocused X-ray computed tomography (µ-CT).

Abstract: The texture of polycrystalline Ni₅₀Mn₂₉Ga₂₁ alloys fabricated by high pressure torsion (HPT) was investigated with high-energy synchrotron radiation. HPT was performed at temperatures between 873K and 1173K under a hydrostatic pressure of 400 MPa. During HPT above 973K the initial cyclic fibre texture changes to a strong cube and a weak F component. Below 973K a strong rotated cube and weak F and C components develop. Additionally, electron backscatter diffraction reveals that samples deformed at low temperature do not completely transform to martensite giving rise to residual austenite.

Abstract: Effect of elastic modulus of matrix on ferromagnetic motion of NiMnGa particles was investigated for NiMnGa particles embedded silicone matrix composites with or without containing polystyrene form particles (PFPs), which are regarded as pores. NiMnGa single crystal was fabricated by a floating zone method and a cube-shape particle was fabricated with the surface orientation parallel to [100], [010] and [001] directions at the parent phase state. The elastic modulus of matrix polymer was controlled by changing the number of PFPs. It was found that the elastic modulus of silicone was decreased with increasing the volume fraction of PFPs. The magnetic-field-induced martensite variant reorientation (MVR) was evaluated by the magnetization curves obtained using a vibration sample magnetometer, and the magnetic field required for the start of martensite variant reorientation was reduced by increasing the number of PFPs. The control of elastic modulus of matrix polymer is important and a dominant factor for the magnetic motion of NiMnGa/polymer composites.