The effects of annealing temperature on microstructures, phase transformation, mechanical properties, and shape memory effect of Ti–20Zr–10Nb–5Al alloy were investigated. X-ray diffraction(XRD) patterns show that the alloy is composed of single hexagonal ɑ'-martensite phase for both as-rolled sample and sample annealed at773 K for 30 min, while single orthorhombic ɑ'' phase exists in the samples annealed at 873 and 973 K for30 min. The optical observations indicate that the alloy is recrystallized when annealed at 873 K, and the grain size of the sample annealed at 973 K is about five times larger than that annealed at 873 K. Both of the samples annealed at 873 and 973 K show almost the same reverse martensite transformation start temperature of 483 K as demonstrated by thermal dilatation tests. The critical stress values for martensite reorientation(σ_M) are 392 and 438 MPa for the alloys annealed at 873 and 973 K, respectively. The maximum shape memory strain is 2.8 %, which is obtained in the alloy annealed at 873 K due to the lower σ_M. Moreover,the sample annealed at 873 K exhibits larger tensile stress and tensile strain due to the smaller grain size.
0.67BiFeO_(3)-0.33BaTiO_(3)multiferroic ceramics doped with x mol%MnO_(2)(x=2-10)were synthesized by solid-state reaction.The formation of a perovskite phase with rhombohedral symmetry was confirmed by X-ray diffraction(XRD).The average grain sizes were reduced from 0.80mm to 0.50mm as increasing the Mn-doped levels.Single crystalline nature of the grains was revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)images and electron diffraction patterns.Polar nano-sized ferroelectric domains with an average size of 9 nm randomly distributed in the ceramic samples were revealed by TEM images.Ferroelectric domain lamellae(71°ferroelectric domains)with an average width of 5 nm were also observed.Vibrational modes were examined by Raman spectra,where only four Raman peaks at 272 cm^(-1)(E-4 mode),496 cm^(-1)(A_(1)-4 mode),639 cm^(-1),and 1338 cm^(-1)were observed.The blue shifts in the E-4 and A_(1)-4 Raman mode frequencies were interpreted by a spring oscillator model.The dieletric constants of the present ceramics as a function of the Mn-doped levels exhibited a V-typed curve.They were in the range of 350-700 measured at 10^(3)Hz,and the corresponding dielectric losses were in range of 0.43-0.96,approaching to 0.09 at 10^(6)Hz.
