The influence of manganese content on the formation of martensite structure and the final properties of a quaternary Cu-Al-Mn-Ag shape memory alloy (SMA) was investigated. Two alloys with designed compositions, Cu- 9%wt. Al- 16%wt. Mn- 2%wt. Ag and Cu- 9%wt. Al- 7%wt. Mn- 2%wt. Ag, were prepared in an electric arc furnace by melting of high-purity metals. As-cast and quenched microstructures were determined by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy equipped with EDS. Phases were confirmed by high-energy synchrotron radiation and electron backscatter diffractions. Austenite and martensite transformations were followed by differential scanning calorimetry and hardness was determined using the Vickers hardness test. It was found that the addition of silver contributes to the formation of the martensite structure in the Cu-Al-Mn-SMA. In the alloy with 7%wt. of manganese, stable martensite is formed even in the as-cast state without additional heat treatment, while the alloy with 16%wt. of manganese martensite transforms only after thermal stabilization and quenching. Two types of martensite, β1' and γ1', are confirmed in the Cu-9Al-7Mn-2Ag specimen. The as-cast SMA with 7%wt. Mn showed significantly lower martensite transformation temperatures, Ms and Mf, in relation to the quenched alloy. With increasing manganese content, the Ms and Mf temperatures are shifted to higher values and the microhardness is lower.
Keywords: Cu-Al-Mn-Ag alloys; heat treatment; martensitic transformation; microstructure; phase transformations; shape memory alloy; thermal analysis.