低Nb 含量NiTiNb 形状记忆合金相变及力学性能研究

张子涵1,李 博1,李 斗1,冯振宇1,朱嘉锡1,陈怡星1,杨鲁岩2,钟 宏1,李双明1

(1.西北工业大学凝固技术全国重点实验室,陕西 西安 710072;2.北京工业大学材料科学与工程学院固体微结构与性能北京市重点实验室,北京 100124)

摘 要:NiTiNb 合金因其宽相变温度滞后特性,在管道连接件中具有重要的应用价值。基于传统高铌含量(Nb≥9%,原子分数)NiTiNb 合金性能,开发低铌含量(≤3%)NiTiNb 合金,在降低成本的同时维持与高铌合金相当水平的超弹性和形状记忆效应。探讨了低铌含量合金(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)微观组织、马氏体相变行为及力学性能。结果表明,随着合金中Nb 含量增加到3.0%,马氏体相变开始温度和相变温度滞后均逐渐增加,伸长率增大,临界应力和临界应变降低。低铌合金(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 表现出99.9%的应变恢复率,接近高铌合金水平,其相变温度滞后达到38.7 K,抗压强度高达1 912 MPa,超过了目前所报道的多数高铌NiTiNb 合金,表现出较好的应用潜力。

关键词:形状记忆合金;NiTiNb 合金;相变温度滞后;微观组织;力学性能

形状记忆合金(shape memory alloys,SMAs)因其独特的超弹性(superelasticity, SE)和形状记忆效应(shape memory effect,SME)被广泛应用于多个领域[1-5]。与传统Cu-Al 基[6-7]和Fe 基[8]形状记忆合金相比,NiTi 形状记忆合金不仅表现出良好的形状记忆效应和超弹性[9],而且具有优异的抗腐蚀性[10]和耐磨性[11]。由于其阻尼性能优越[12]、紧固性能可靠且安装简便[13-15]的特性,NiTi 形状记忆合金常被制成紧固件[2],例如管道接头[16-18]和螺栓[19-20]

高强度、高塑性和宽相变温度滞后(phase transformation hysteresis,Thys) 是作为紧固件材料的形状记忆合金必须满足的要求[15]。在NiTi 合金中添加铌(Nb)是提高其加工塑性和增加相变温度滞后的常用方法之一[21]。Piao 等[22]指出,Nb 的合金化可以显著提高NiTi 合金的相变温度滞后,其主要原因是β-Nb相的塑性变形与NiTi 基体的协同作用。Zhang 等[23]对常用的Ni47Ti44Nb9 合金进行了研究,发现经过预变形处理后,其相变温度滞后明显增加;然而,过大的预变形会削弱合金的形状记忆效应。Liu 等[24]发现随着Nb 含量的增加并形成共晶合金时,合金的强度得到提升,但是伸长率则呈下降趋势;并通过微柱压缩试验表明共晶相的抗压强度可达2 500 MPa,但应变仅为35%。然而,这些NiTiNb 合金均具有较高的Nb 含量(≥9%,原子分数,下同),导致材料成本接近于NiTi 合金的2 倍,限制了NiTiNb 合金的商业化应用[25]

本文系统研究了低Nb 含量(≤3%)NiTiNb 合金的微观组织、相变行为及力学性能,旨在实现降低Nb 含量的同时保持优异的力学性能和较大的Thys的目标,从而开发出可替代传统高铌合金Ni47Ti44Nb9的低Nb 含量NiTiNb 合金。

1 实验材料与方法

本研究采用高纯度的Ni(99.9%)、Ti(99.9%)和Nb(99.9%,质量分数)作为原料,制备了名义成分为(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)的合金。在氩气保护下,利用真空电弧熔炼炉对合金进行熔炼,并翻转熔炼4 次以确保铸锭成分的均匀性。通过X 射线衍射仪(XRD,X-pert PRO)进行物相分析,利用差示扫描量热仪(DSC, NETZSCH DSC214)表征4 种不同成分NiTiNb 合金的马氏体转变(martensitic transformation, MT)行为,测试样品质量为30~40 mg,温度范围设定在173~373 K,升温和降温速率均为10 ℃/min。

通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM,ZEISS GeminiSEM 500)对合金的微观组织进行分析;在测试前,样品需使用体积比为HF∶HNO3∶H2O=1∶2∶22 的溶液进行腐蚀处理。采用电子背散射衍射(EBSD,TESCAN AMBER)技术分析合金的晶体取向,测试时加速电压为20 kV,电流为5.5 nA,样品台需倾斜70°,扫描步长为0.8 μm。测试样品采用体积比为HClO4∶C4H9OH∶CH3OH=3∶15∶3 的溶液进行电解抛光,电解抛光电压为20 V,时间为40 s。室温压缩和循环压缩试验在电子万能试验机(INSTRON 3382)上进行,圆柱形试样的尺寸为ϕ4 mm×8 mm,应变速率为5×10-3 s-1。将经过单循环压缩和10 次循环压缩后的试样加热至393 K,并保温10 min,通过测量实验前后试样的长度分析合金的形状记忆效应。

2 实验结果及讨论

2.1 微观组织及相变行为

合金的相组成和DSC 曲线如图1 所示,从图1a 的XRD 图可知,室温下合金主要由B2 奥氏体相组成。在(Ni51Ti49)98.5Nb1.5 和(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金中观察到B19′马氏体相,表明其马氏体相变开始温度(martensitic transformation start temperature, Ms)略高于室温,并且在(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金中观察到β-Nb相。

图1 (Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金的相组成与相变行为:(a)XRD 图;(b)DSC 曲线;(c)(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金与其他已报道的NiTiNb 合金相变温度滞后的比较[23-24,29-34]
Fig.1 Phase and phase transformation behavior of(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0):(a)XRD patterns;(b)DSC cooling-heating curves;(c)comparison between the transformation temperature hysteresis of the(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 alloys and other reported NiTiNb alloys[23-24,29-34]

图1b 是升温和降温过程中的DSC 曲线,在降温和升温过程中分别出现了一个放热峰和一个吸热峰,这两个峰分别对应B2 相→B19' 相马氏体相变和逆马氏体相变。通过DSC 曲线中峰的切线和基线的交点得到合金相变温度,相变温度滞后通过逆马氏体相变开始温度(reverse martensitic transformation start temperature, As)与马氏体相变开始温度(Ms)之差来描述,如下式所示。

结果显示,(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金的放热峰和吸热峰宽度均大于Ni51Ti49 合金。随着Nb 含量的增加,马氏体相变开始温度和相变温度滞后均增大,这是由于合金中添加的Nb 引起了晶格畸变,阻碍合金的马氏体相变[26],也导致其相变峰减弱。而(Ni51Ti49)99.5Nb0.5 合金的DSC 峰值最低,主要是因为其Ni 含量高于(Ni51Ti49)98.5Nb1.5 和(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3合金,而Ni 含量越高,相变峰强度越弱[27-28]。在4 种合金中,(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金表现出最高的相变温度滞后,为38.68 K,如图1b 所示。与常用的高Nb 含量(≥9%)NiTiNb 合金相比,该合金具有较高的Thys,对比结果如图1c 所示[23-24,29-34]

(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0.5,1.5,3.0)合金的微观组织、元素分布及晶体取向如图2 所示。图2a~c 中占比最大的暗色区域为固溶了Nb 的B2 相,颜色较亮的区域代表腐蚀后出现的晶界。在(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金中观察到与其他3 种合金不同的明亮相,如图2d 所示,为进一步研究该相的组成,进行了EDS 分析。图2e 是图2d 中红框区域内放大图,图2f~h为图2e 中黄色箭头指向区域内的元素分布。EDS 结果显示,较亮的区域中出现了Nb 元素的富集,结合上述XRD 结果,确定其为富Nb 的β-Nb 相,而较暗区域则为B2基体相。当Nb 含量较低时(例如x=0.5 和1.5),未观察到β-Nb 相。根据伪二元合金的相图和先前研究[27,31,35-36],可推断NiTi 合金中Nb 的固溶度小于4%。由于有限的固溶度以及熔炼时的快速冷却,(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金发生非平衡凝固,在此过程中析出β-Nb 相。在马氏体相变过程中,富Nb 相会增加局部应力,促使晶格剪切的发生,从而导致升高Ms,因此图1b 中(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的Ms 最大[37-38]。已有研究表明,这些富Nb 相在冷却过程中会阻碍马氏体生长,并在升温过程中稳定奥氏体/马氏体界面,从而抑制合金中的马氏体相变,扩宽相变温度滞后[23]。因此,在4种合金中,(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的Thys 最大。

图2 (Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金的微观组织及晶体取向:(a~d)合金微观组织图;(e)(d)的局部放大图;(f~h)Ti,Ni,Nb元素分布;(i~l)合金晶体取向
Fig.2 Microstructures and grain orientations of the(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)alloys:(a~d)SEM images of the alloys;(e)high-magnification images of the(d);(f~h)elemental distributions of Ti,Ni,and Nb;(i~l)grain orientations of the alloys

为了避免合金的强织构对其力学性能的影响,采用EBSD 分析合金的晶体取向,4 种不同成分合金试样的EBSD 图如图2i~l 所示。结果表明(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金均为各向同性。

2.2 压缩力学性能

优异的力学性能对于形状记忆合金的应用至关重要[39]。通过在室温下对(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金进行压缩实验,以评估该合金的力学性能。根据图3a1~a4 中的单轴压缩应力-应变曲线显示,合金存在B2 相向B19′相转变的相变平台[40]。单轴应力-应变曲线可分为4 个阶段[41-42]:第I 阶段,奥氏体发生弹性变形,应力与应变呈线性增加,直至达到奥氏体屈服强度;第II 阶段,随着应力的进一步增大,合金发生马氏体相变,曲线趋于平缓;第III阶段,马氏体发生弹性变形;第IV 阶段,当应力超过马氏体屈服强度,合金发生塑性变形,压缩强度下降直至试样断裂。从图中可以观察到,随着Nb 的加入,合金的伸长率(ε)增加,而抗压强度(σ)略有下降,这是由于较高的Nb 含量导致材料中出现了软韧的β-Nb 相。

图3 (Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金在室温下的压缩应力-应变曲线:(a1~a4)单轴压缩应力-应变曲线;(b1~b4)单次循环压缩应力-应变曲线;(c1~c4)第2 次至第10 次循环压缩应力-应变曲线
Fig.3 Compression stress-strain curves of(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)alloys at room temperature:(a1~a4)uniaxial compression stress-strain curves;(b1~b4)single-cycle compression stress-strain curves;(c1~c4)cycle compression stress-strain curves from the second to tenth cycles

图4 显示了经单向压缩后的断口形貌。4 种不同成分的合金断口呈现相似的宏观特征,即断裂面与竖直方向呈45°,这表明合金发生切断。断口具有撕裂棱和河流花样的特征,表明其为准解理断裂。随着Nb 含量的增加,撕裂棱逐渐细密。其中(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3合金的撕裂棱最为细密,这是因为在压缩过程中β-Nb 相引起应力集中,在应力增大时,β-Nb 相周围首先出现裂纹并不断扩展,导致合金断裂。

图4 (Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx 合金室温压缩断口形貌图:(a)x=0;(b)x=0.5;(c)x=1.5;(d)x=3.0
Fig.4 SEM images of fracture surfaces of(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx alloys at room temperature:(a)x=0;(b)x=0.5;(c)x=1.5;(d)x=3.0

对(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金分别进行了单循环和10 次循环压缩实验,通过马氏体相变的临界应变确定(Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx(x=0,0.5,1.5,3.0)合金的循环应变(εcyc)值分别为12%、9%、6%和5%。利用单循环压缩分析合金室温下的超弹性,如图3b1~b4 所示;通过10 次循环压缩实验分析合金的循环稳定性,如图3c1~c4 所示。在应力加载过程中,合金发生弹性变形和超弹性变形,并发生马氏体相变;卸载时发生其逆过程。在4 种合金中,(Ni51Ti49)98.5Nb1.5 合金在室温下的残余应变(εr)最小,为1.5%;(Ni51Ti49)97-Nb3 合金的残余应变较大,达到3.88%。较大的残余应变是因为加载过程中NiTiNb 合金中的B2 基体相和β-Nb 相均可发生塑性变形,而β-Nb 相更易发生塑性变形,引起合金弹性能松弛,导致NiTiNb 合金的残余应变增加[23];此外,室温下B19′相的存在也会导致残余应变增大。图3c1~c4为去除第一次循环压缩的残余应变后的第2~10 次循环压缩应力-应变曲线。由图可知,(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的循环稳定性最佳,通过预变形处理可进一步提升其稳定性。

通过加热循环压缩后的试样来分析合金的形状记忆效应,并定量计算了可恢复应变、不可恢复应变和形状记忆效应应变随Nb 含量的变化,如图5 所示。图中εre、εSME 和εir 分别对应可恢复应变、形状记忆效应应变和不可恢复应变,其中可恢复应变包括上文中的弹性应变(εE)和超弹性应变(εSE);图5b 中应变数字下标表示循环次数。从图中可以观察到,随着循环次数的增加,形状记忆效应应变增大,可恢复应变减小,不可恢复应变增大,这是由于每次循环压缩引起的应力诱导马氏体相变均会产生位错滑移和残余马氏体[28,43],并且这些残余马氏体会随循环次数的增加而逐渐积累。在卸载后,存在的形状记忆效应应变在加热至逆马氏体相变结束温度(reverse martensitic transformation finish temperature, Aj)以上时可以恢复;但当施加应变较大时,加热后会存在不可恢复应变,即残余应变不能完全恢复。

图5 预变形前应变、应变比的变化及本研究的Thys 及抗压强度与报道合金的比较:(a)应变随Nb 含量的变化;(b)应变比随Nb含量的变化;(c)本研究的Thys 及抗压强度与先前报道的合金的比较[24,36,45-46]
Fig.5 The variations in strains before predeformation and strain ratios,and comparisons of compression strength and Thys between this work and reported alloys:(a)variation in strain with Nb content;(b)variation in strain ratio with Nb content;(c)comparison of compression strength and Thys between this work and reported alloys[24,36,45-46]

图5b 显示了每种应变所占比例,4 种合金的总恢复率相似,形状记忆效应应变与可恢复应变呈负相关。4 种合金的总压缩恢复率(η=1-εircyc)均超过94%,其中(Ni51Ti49)98.5Nb1.5 和(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 的总恢复率达到99.9%;而Ni51Ti49 和(Ni51Ti49)99.5Nb0.5 合金的恢复率低于99%,这与其较大的循环应变有关。一般而言,当NiTi 合金应变低于8%时,恢复率可达100%[45],而本研究中Ni51Ti49 和(Ni51Ti49)99.5Nb0.5 合金的循环应变均超过8%。在4 种合金中,Ni51Ti49,(Ni51Ti49)99.5Nb0.5 和(Ni51Ti49)98.5Nb1.5 合金均表现出较高的室温应变恢复率(>50%),而(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的室温应变恢复率约为24%,但也与先前报道的高Nb含量合金的应变恢复率持平[44]

将(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的抗压强度和Thys 与先前报道的NiTiNb 合金进行了对比,结果如图5c所示[24,36,45-46]。(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金的抗压强度高达1 912 MPa,Thys为38.7 K,超过了其他文章中的报道结果。

3 结论

(1)当Nb 含量低于3%时,Nb 可完全固溶在Ni-Ti 基体中,Nb 含量达到3%时,合金中会出现富Nb相;随着Nb 含量的增加,相变温度滞后逐渐增大,合金的伸长率提高且临界应变和临界应力逐渐减小。

(2)在研究的4 种低铌合金中,(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 合金具有最佳的综合性能,其在预变形前表现出最大的相变温度滞后38.7 K,超过了多数已报道的高铌NiTiNb 合金,并且低铌合金(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 不仅具有高抗压强度(1 912 MPa),应变总恢复率(99.9%),在预变形后表现出良好的循环稳定性。

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Phase Transformation Hysteresis and Mechanical Properties of NiTiNb Shape Memory Alloys with Low Nb Contents

ZHANG Zihan1,LI Bo1,LI Dou1,FENG Zhenyu1,ZHU Jiaxi1,CHEN Yixing1,YANG Luyan2,ZHONG Hong1,LI Shuangming1
(1.State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing,Northwestern Polytechnical University,Xi'an 710072,China;2.Beijing Key Laboratory of Microstructure and Property of Advanced Materials,College of Materials Science and Engineering,Beijing University of Technology,Beijing 100124,China)

Abstract: The large phase transformation hysteresis of NiTiNb alloys renders them valuable for pipe connections. On the basis of the properties of traditional NiTiNb alloys with high Nb contents (Nb ≥9 at.%), NiTiNb alloys with low Nb contents (≤3 at.%) offer a cost-effective alternative with low cost, superior superelasticity and shape memory effects. An investigation of the effects of low Nb content on the microstructure, martensitic transformation behavior and compressive mechanical properties of (Ni51Ti49)100-xNbx (x=0, 0.5, 1.5, 3.0) alloys was carried out. The experimental results indicate that increasing the Nb content to 3.0 at.% leads to higher martensitic transformation start temperatures and phase transformation hysteresis. Additionally, the addition of Nb increases the elongation of the alloys, and a gradual decrease in both the critical stress and critical strain is observed with increasing Nb content. Moreover, the (Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 alloy has a high strain recovery ratio of 99.9%, which is comparable to that of NiTiNb alloys with high Nb contents. Furthermore, the(Ni51Ti49)97Nb3 alloy exhibits optimal compressive properties, demonstrating the highest phase transformation hysteresis of 38.7 K and a significant compressive strength of 1 912 MPa, surpassing most of the previously reported NiTiNb alloys with high Nb contents and demonstrating good application potential.

Key words:shape memory alloy; NiTiNb alloys; phase transformation hysteresis; microstructure; mechanical properties

中图分类号:TG139+.6

文献标识码:A

文章编号:1000-8365(2025)03-0256-08

DOI:10.16410/j.issn1000-8365.2025.4222

收稿日期:2024-11-02

基金项目:凝固技术国家重点实验室开放课题(SKLSP202404);凝固技术国家重点实验室自主研究课题(2024-TS-05)

作者简介:张子涵,2001 年生,硕士生.研究方向为NiTi 基形状记忆合金组织与性能.Email:hzhangzihan@163.com

通信作者:李双明,1971 年生,博士,教授.研究方向为高纯材料与单晶生长.Email:lsm@nwpu.edu.cn

引用格式:张子涵,李博,李斗,冯振宇,朱嘉锡,陈怡星,杨鲁岩,钟宏,李双明.低Nb 含量NiTiNb 形状记忆合金相变及力学性能研究[J].铸造技术,2025,46(3):256-263.

ZHANG Z H, LI B, LI D, FENG Z Y, ZHU J X, CHEN Y X, YANG L Y, ZHONG H, LI S M. Phase transformation hysteresis and mechanical properties of NiTiNb shape memory alloys with low Nb contents[J].Foundry Technology,2025,46(3):256-263.