A Shape-Memory Alloy for High-Temperature Applications

Summary

An alloy based on the Cu-Al-Ni ternary system has been developed at the research center of Brown, Boveri & Co., Baden, Switzerland, which provides a fully reversible (two-way) shape memory effect at significantly higher temperatures than those afforded by commercial memory alloys such as NiTi and Cu-Zn-Al. The higher temperature capability of this alloy could open new fields for the application of the shape memory effect, particularly in thermal switching and protection devices. After suitable deformation and processing, a shape change is observed while heating the alloy through the temperature interval from 175 to 190°C. This shape change can be completely reversed during subsequent cooling from 155 to 125°C. The magnitude of the reversible strain produced by this alloy is 1.5%; somewhat higher strains can be achieved if lower memory temperatures can be accepted, and conversely, better high temperature capabilities can be achieved by accepting smaller reversible strains. The memory effects in this alloy have been found to be unaffected by short overheatings to temperatures as high as 300°C.