Fabrication and characterization of amorphous-crystalline TiNiCu melt-spun ribbons. Journal of Alloys and Compounds Volume 577, Issue SUPPL. 1, 15 November 2013, Pages S251-S254

This study reports on the development of a composite material, amorphous-crystalline TiNiCu alloy ribbons, exhibiting reversible shape memory effect. A Ti-25Ni-25Cu (at.%) alloy was fabricated by the melt spinning technique at different cooling rates in the form of a ribbon with a thickness of approximately 40 μm. The samples were characterized by means of inverted metallographic and scanning electron microscopy techniques, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and microhardness measurements. The ribbons were mainly amorphous but had a crystalline surface layer with orthorhombic structure on one side. The thickness of the crystalline layer varied from 5 to 10 μm depending on cooling rate of the melt. No elemental composition change was found in the cross-section of the ribbons. This laminated amorphous-crystalline composite material demonstrated two-way shape memory behavior without any additional thermomechanical treatments and can be used to create micromechanical devices.