Deformational behavior of Cu–Al–Mn alloys under the influence of temperature and mechanical stress

The work studies the deformational effects in aged Cu–Al–Mn alloys. The martensitic transformation temperatures were determined by measuring the low-field magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistance as a function of the exposure time during isothermal ageing. The values of linear coefficients of thermal expansion of high and low-temperature phases were measured and the volume effect of martensitic transformation was estimated. Based on the uniaxial tension data, the phase diagram of austenite and martensite stability was constructed. The critical stress for the strain-induced martensite formation has been estimated and the factors influencing the degree of superelastic recovery have been elucidated. The influence of size effects on superelastic deformation behavior and the intervals of their occurrence in aged polycrystalline samples were noted.