Effect of multiaxial deformation Max-strain on the structure and properties of Ti-Ni alloy

Abstract

The severe plastic deformation (SPD) forming ultrafine-grained (nanocrystalline or nanosubgrained) structure is one of the most effective ways to improve the functional properties of Ti-Ni-based shape memory alloys [1, 2]. In the present work, the SPD of near-equiatomic Ti-Ni alloy was carried out using the multi-axial deformation module Max-strain, which is a part of the physical simulation system "Gleeble 3500". The deformation was performed at a constant temperature of 400°C with speed of 0.5 mm/s in six passes without interpass pauses. The accumulated true strain was about 3. As a result, a mixed ultrafine-grained/subgrained structure with grain/subgrain sizes from 50 to 300 nm and a high density of free dislocations formed. The resulting structure is close to a nanoscale region and provides a significant advantage in the basic functional property-completely recoverable strain-as compared with a conventional recrystallized structure: 7% versus 2%. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.