Phase Transformations and Fatigue of NiTi

Tensile fatigue of superelastic medical graded NiTi wires was analysed in stress control regime with special attention paid to the deformation/transformation processes involved. Concave shaped samples were machined from NiTi wires allowing us to confine deformation processes into the centre of the sample. The localization of phase transformations within the centre was confirmed using in-situ infrared imaging. Characteristic stress-displacement responses for amplitudes inducing either R-phase only or both R-phase and martensite were identified for these samples. A limited number of pull-pull fatigue tests in force-control regime were performed. The obtained S-N curve and associated stress-displacement responses allowed for identification of three fatigue regimes differing in the fatigue life-time by orders of magnitude. Particularly, fatigue life-time deteriorating effect of R-phase transformation was identified.