No Arabic abstract
Ti50 Pd50-xCrx is a high temperature shape memory alloy with a martensitic transformation temperature strongly dependent on the Cr composition. Prior to the transformation a premartensitic phase is present with an incommensurate modulated cubic lattice with wave vector of q0=(0.22, 0.22, 0). The temperature dependence of the diffuse scattering in the cubic phase is measured as a function temperature for x=6.5, 8.5, and 10 at. %. The lattice dynamics has been studied and reveals anomalous temperature and q-dependence of the [110]-TA2 transverse phonon branch. The phonon linewidth is broad over the entire Brillouin zone and increases with decreasing temperature, contrary to the behavior expected for anharmonicity. No anomaly is observed at q0. The results are compared with first principles calculation of the phonon structure.
Nb-Ru is a high temperature shape memory alloy that undergoes a Martensitic transformation from a parent cubic b-phase into a tetragonal b phase at TM 900 C. Measurements of the phonon dispersion curves show that the [110]-TA2 phonon branch, corresponding in the q=0 limit to the elastic constant C=1/2(C11-C12) has an anomalous temperature dependence. Nearly the entire branch softens with decreasing temperature as TM is approached. The temperature dependence of the low-q phonon energies suggests that the elastic constants would approach 0 as T approaches TM, indicating a second order transition. No additional lattice modulation is observed in the cubic phase.
A negative-positive-negative switching behavior of magnetoresistance (MR) with temperature is observed in a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ni_1.75Mn_1.25Ga. In the austenitic phase between 300 and 120 K, MR is negative due to s-d scattering. Curiously, below 120K MR is positive, while at still lower temperatures in the martensitic phase, MR is negative again. The positive MR cannot be explained by Lorentz contribution and is related to a magnetic transition. Evidence for this is obtained from ab initio density functional theory, a decrease in magnetization and resistivity upturn at 120 K. Theory shows that a ferrimagnetic state with anti-ferromagnetic alignment between the local magnetic moments of the Mn atoms is the energetically favoured ground state. In the martensitic phase, there are two competing factors that govern the MR behavior: a dominant negative trend up to the saturation field due to the decrease of electron scattering at twin and domain boundaries; and a weaker positive trend due to the ferrimagnetic nature of the magnetic state. MR exhibits a hysteresis between heating and cooling that is related to the first order nature of the martensitic phase transition.
We report a detailed investigation of the Ni$_{2}$MnGa shape memory alloy through magnetic, electronic, and thermal measurements. Our measurements of the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) reveal that this technique is very sensitive to the onset of the pre-martensitic transition in sharp contrast to other transport measurements. With the ANE being sensitive to changes at the Fermi surface, we infer on the link between the structural modulations and the modulation of the Fermi surface via its nesting features, with the magnetic field induced strain being the mediating mechanism.
The large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) observed in Ni-Mn based shape-memory Heusler alloys put them forward to use in magnetic refrigeration technology. It is associated with a first-order magnetostructural (martensitic) phase transition. We conducted a comprehensive study of the MCE for the off-stoichiometric Heusler alloy Ni$_{2.2}$Mn$_{0.8}$Ga in the vicinity of its first-order magnetostructural phase transition. We found a reversible MCE under repeated magnetic field cycles. The reversible behavior can be attributed to the small thermal hysteresis of the martensitic phase transition. Based on the analysis of our detailed temperature dependent X-ray diffraction data, we demonstrate the geometric compatibility of the cubic austenite and tetragonal martensite phases. This finding directly relates the reversible MCE behavior to an improved geometric compatibility condition between cubic austenite and tetragonal martensite phases. The approach will help to design shape-memory Heusler alloys with a large reversible MCE taking advantage of the first-order martensitic phase transition.
The origin of incommensurate structural modulation in Ni-Mn based Heusler type magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) is still an unresolved issue inspite of intense focus on this due to its role in the magnetic field induced ultra-high strains. In the archetypal MSMA Ni2MnGa, the observation of non-uniform displacement of atoms from their mean positions in the modulated martensite phase, premartensite phase and charge density wave as well as the presence of phason broadening of satellite peaks have been taken in support of the electronic instability model linked with a soft acoustic phonon. We present here results of a combined high resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction (SXRPD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) study on Ni2Mn1.4In0.6 using (3+1)D superspace group approach, which reveal not only uniform atomic displacements in the modulated structure of the martensite phase with physically acceptable ordered magnetic moments in the antiferromagnetic phase at low temperatures but also the absence of any premartensite phase and phason broadening of the satellite peaks. Our HRTEM studies and first principles calculations of the ground state also support uniform atomic displacements predicted by powder diffraction studies. All these observations suggest that the structural modulation in the martensite phase of Ni2Mn1.4In0.6 MSMA can be explained in terms of the adaptive phase model. The present study underlines the importance of superspace group analysis using complimentary SXRPD and NPD in understanding the physics of the origin of modulation as well as the magnetic and the modulated ground states of the Heusler type MSMAs. Our work also highlights the fact that the mechanism responsible for the origin of modulated structure in different Ni-Mn based MSMAs may not be universal and it must be investigated thoroughly in different alloy compositions.