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Characterization of a CuAlBe Alloy with Different Cr Contents

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Abstract

In this article, the use of chromium (Cr) as a grain refiner for a CuAlBe shape memory alloy is discussed. Alloys with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.% Cr were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction. Also, the influence of the different percentages of Cr on the grain size and on the mechanical properties was analyzed through macro- and microscopic evaluations and by tensile and hardness tests, respectively. Finally, the phase transformation temperatures of the alloys were determined by thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the higher the Cr content, the greater the grain refinement effect and lower the hardness. In addition, at room temperature the alloys with 0.1 and 0.2 wt.% Cr were austenitic, while the rest were martensitic. The tensile tests showed that the alloy with 0.2 wt.% Cr provided the best strain-stress performance. The conclusion was that the use of 0.2 wt.% Cr as a grain refiner improved the mechanical properties of the CuAlBe alloy; however, the same was not observed for the other Cr contents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica (DEM), Laboratório de Solidificação Rápida (LSR), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária S/N, João Pessoa, PB, 58059-900, Brazil

    Gemierson Valois da M. Candido, Tadeu Antônio de A. Melo, Rodinei Medeiros Gomes & Severino Jackson G. de Lima

  2. Centro de Ciências Tecnológicas (CCT), Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Av. Washington Soares, 1321, Sala NPT/CCT, Edson Queiroz, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60.811-905, Brazil

    Victor Hugo C. De Albuquerque

  3. Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica e Gestão Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    João Manuel R. S. Tavares

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  1. Gemierson Valois da M. Candido
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  2. Tadeu Antônio de A. Melo
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  3. Victor Hugo C. De Albuquerque
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  4. Rodinei Medeiros Gomes
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  5. Severino Jackson G. de Lima
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  6. João Manuel R. S. Tavares
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Correspondence to João Manuel R. S. Tavares.

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da M. Candido, G.V., de A. Melo, T.A., De Albuquerque, V.H.C. et al. Characterization of a CuAlBe Alloy with Different Cr Contents. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 21, 2398–2406 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0159-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0159-6

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