ISSN (1897-3310)

ARCHIVES Volume 10
Issue 3/2010
of
155 – 158
FOUNDRY ENGINEERING
30/3
Published quarterly as the organ of the Foundry Commission of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Studies of selected mechanical properties of

nitinol – shape memory alloy
J. Kłaput
Cracow University of Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering,
al. Jana Pawła II 37, 31 864 Kraków, Poland
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected]

Received 30.04.2010; accepted in revised form 30.05.2010

Abstract
Because of their specific properties, shape memory alloys are applied in many domains. The investigations were conducted on nitinol alloy
in the form of 3,1 mm diameter wire, whose Af temperature as stated by the manufacturer is Af =65oC. The wire was stretched in a strain
hardened state and after annealing at 5000C. The influence of different heat treatments on the engineering stress – strain curve was
investigated. Some samples were relieved and again loaded during tensile test. The plotted curves reflect the transformations that occur in
alloy microstructure in high-temperature state (austenite) and low-temperature state (martensite).

Keywords: shape memory alloys, nitinol, tensile test, mechanical properties

cadmium alloys (Au-Cd alloys). The shape memory effect was

1. Introduction also observed in 1938 by Greninger and Mooradian from Harvard
University during investigations of copper-zinc (Cu-Zn) and
Investigations in the last decades resulted in the development
copper-tin (Cu-Sn) alloys. In their studies they proved that the
of a new group of materials called “smart materials”, whose
martensitic phase can appear and disappear with temperature
distinctive feature is the ability to change shape and adapt it to the
changes.
changing environmental conditions. The adaptation of smart
The most popular shape memory alloy is nickel-titanium
materials to different conditions is due to their ability to change
alloy. Its unusual properties were discovered incidentally in 1932.
the interior microstructure under different exterior conditions. The
The alloy was patented in 1965 under the trade name Nitinol
use of smart materials enables considerable simplification of
coming from the first letters of the main alloying elements and the
engineering structures.
name of a laboratory in the U.S. Navy, where it was discovered
Very important group of smart materials are shape memory
(Nickel Titanium Naval Ordnance Laboratory) [3].
alloys (SMAs). These materials have a unique ability to
The first commercial application of SMAs was in aviation for
“remember” their shape. This phenomenon is due to thermo-
the, made by Raychem Corporation, pipe connectors in a
elastic martensitic transformation which in shape memory alloys
hydraulic system of the F-14 military airplane. In 1975, scientists
causes the characteristic phenomenon of one-way and two-way
at Iowa University started being interested in practical application
shape memory as well as pseudoelasticity.
of nitinol alloys in medicine. Buehler suggested the use of SMAs
The shape memory phenomenon was for the first time
in dentistry for the shape-memorising, reinforcing dental braces.
observed in 1932 by Swedish scientist Arne Olander in gold –

ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 10, Issue 3/2010, 155-158 155

2. Material for investigations 3.1. Tensile strength properties of wire in as-
delivered condition stretched at 200C
The microstructure of nitinol wire in as-delivered condition
shows features typical for material after high stage of cold plastic The wire in as-delivered condition was strain hardened, so it
working. The observations carried out under microscope on could be expected that at room temperature it would possess a
polished surfaces of the longitudinal sections of metallographic strain-induced twinned martensitic microstructure.
specimens gave images of fragments of the texture elongated in The engineering stress-strain curve is presented in Fig. 2
strain hardening direction. This is the response typical for the
majority of materials subjected to high degree of cold plastic
working. Surprisingly different looks the microstructure etched
after annealing at 5000C. In this case something like a two-phase
material structure appears. The main phase has the form of
relatively large, round-shaped grains, while the “additional” phase
fills the intergranular spaces present in the main phase.

Fig. 2. Engineering stress-strain curve of nitinol in as-delivered

condition

It can be observed that in this state the tensile strength Rm is

1364MPa with elongation of 6,5%. The value of elongation and
the stress-strain curve prove that the examined material has
relatively low plastic properties.
The calculated value of proof stress is R0,2=649MPa. The
values of tensile strength and proof stress depart from those
presented in literature. The tensile strength is by about 500MPa
Fig. 1. Microstructure after annealing at 5000C
lower than the value commonly stated for materials after cold
plastic working. The elongation fits the lower interval presented
After annealing at 5000C the grains assume an oval shape,
in literature [1], [3].
while after annealing at higher temperatures they have the shape
of irregular angular polygons.

3.2. Tensile strength properties of wire

3. Tensile strength properties annealed at 500oC and stretched at 20oC

Nitinol alloy is characterised by specific mechanical A different form assumes the tensile curve plotted for material
properties. The stress – strain curve from static tensile test heated at 5000C for 30 minutes, cooled with furnace and subjected
generally depends on whether the specimen has a low- or high- next to the tensile test at room temperature. A characteristic
temperature microstructure. The tensile curve looks different for feature of the shape memory alloys after such treatment is the run
specimens with low-temperature phase composition (martensite) of plotted curves different than the curves obtained for
and high-temperature phase composition (austenite). conventional materials.
The tensile strength properties were tested on a 3.1mm Material after such heat treatment has the structure with
diameter wire under the following conditions: prevailing volume content of high-temperature phase (austenite).
• material in as-delivered condition – tensile strength tested at During static tensile test, two proof stress values are distinctly
room temperature, visible on the plotted curve. The first is related with deformation
• material after annealing at 5000C/30minutes cooling with of the high-temperature phase R1,0,2. Then the material is
furnace – tensile strength tested at room temperature, observed to undergo a strong deformation at a steady and
relatively low stress. The deformation is accompanied by a high-
• material after annealing at 5000C/30minutes cooling with
temperature phase € low-temperature phase transformation. On
furnace – tensile strength tested at 1500C,
the curve, the range of a linear stress-strain relationship becomes
• material in as-delivered condition – tensile strength tested at
well visible. It ends in the appearance of a next proof stress R20,2
2500C.

156 ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 10, Issue 3/2010, 155-158

related with the plastic deformation of martensite. The stresses of
R10,2 and R20,2 depend on the test temperature and heating mode.

Fig. 4. Engineering stress-strain curve of nitinol annealed at

500oC and relieved twice.

Fig. 3. Engineering stress-strain curve of nitinol annealed at 3.4. Tensile strength properties of wire
500oC
annealed at 500oC, stretched and relieved
at 150oC
Since the test has revealed a distinct plateau and different
proof stress values, it can be expected that the wire in as-delivered The tensile test described below was performed at 150oC on a
condition has a high-temperature structure. Ø=3.1mm wire annealed at 500oC and cooled with furnace. The
The calculated values of R10,2 and R20,2 are R10,2=112MPa results are shown in Figure 5.
and R20,2=781MPa, respectively. The tensile strength Rm is
987MPa. Attention deserves the fact that in this state the material
shows a very large percentage elongation, amounting to nearly
56%.

3.3. Tensile strength properties of wire

annealed at 500oC, stretched and relieved
at 20oC
Wire in the same condition as described under item 3.1 was
relieved and loaded again during static tensile test. It was relieved
twice from the force of 3000N and 6900N, which corresponded
to a stress of 400MPa and 900MPa, respectively. Each time the
wire was relieved to a zero stress value (Fig. 4).
Fig. 5. Engineering stress-strain curve of nitinol annealed at
The calculated proof stress values differed from those
disclosed under item 3.1 and were generally slightly lower. Also 500oC for 30min; specimen stretched and relieved at 150oC
the recorded percentage elongation assumed a value of about 37%
and was lower than in the case discussed previously. It should be Stretching of the material at a temperature of 150oC is
emphasized that lower elongation might be due to the fact that the characterised by very high strain range in the area of so-called
specimen failed beyond the extensometer range and, more plateau, which causes high total strain completely unprecedented
precisely, in flat jaws of the testing machine. There is one for structural materials of this type. With the stress of 63MPa,
important fact that deserves attention during stress relieving. the specimen elongation reached almost 56%. The relieved
Generally, on a tensile curve of the loaded and relieved specimen, material showed no anomalies and its behaviour was typical of
the plastic strain in the reloaded specimen starts at the same point other structural materials. During the attempted third relieving,
where relieving has occurred. In nitinol alloys during second the specimen failed at a total strain of 100%. The tensile strength
relieving under a stress of 900MPa, the plastic properties of the of the tested material was reported to be at a level of 556MPa.
alloy have been regained at a value higher by about 40MPa.

ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 10, Issue 3/2010, 155-158 157

3.5. Tensile strength properties of wire in as- The curve of the wire in as-delivered condition has all the
characteristics of a strain-hardened material. The structure of
delivered condition stretched at 250oC material in this condition is corresponding to a low-temperature
phase (martensite). The tensile strength Rm equals 1364N and is
The next tensile test was performed on material in as- combined with relatively low percentage elongation of about
delivered condition like under item 3.1, but this time the test 6,5%, which is also a uniform elongation
temperature was 250oC. The material after annealing and low-rate cooling has a high-
The specimen failed within the extensometer measuring temperature structure. This is the phase of an austenitic type. In
range. During the tensile test, after the appearance of a residual nitinol alloys, the factor responsible for the austenite-martensite
form of plateau on the curve, the wire was relieved once from the transformation is not only the alloy cooling regime but also plastic
force level of 4000N (corresponding to 500MPa) to a value deformation. The tensile curves are characterised by a typical
slightly below 2000N (corresponding to 215MPa). Relieving was plateau. For specimens heated at 5000C, the plateau appears at a
done to capture the effect of pseudoelasticity, also known as very low stress of about 100MPa. Within the range of plateau, the
superelastic response. Unfortunately, both relieving and reloading high-temperature phase is transformed into a low-temperature
of the specimen occurred on nearly the same rectilinear segment phase. The increase of deformation temperature up to 1500C
of the curve and the expected effect could not be recorded. The reduces the rate of transformation and the plateau on a tensile
results of the investigations are shown in Figure 6. curve appears within a wider range of the elongation values
(about 56%), as displayed for the specimen described under item
3.4.
With the austenite-martensite transformation completed, at
further stage of the test, the process of martenite elongation starts
taking place. The range of martensite elastic strain appears, as
illustrated by a rectilinear segment on the tensile curve. The next
to appear on the tensile curve is the range of martensite plastic
strain without the physical yield point. Finally, failure of the
specimen occurs.
The, described in literature, hysteresis loop related with the
effect of pseudoelasticity (superelasticity) was not observed
during these tests. During specimen relieving and reloading, the
changes were running along more or less the same linear segment
of the curve. Therefore it seems that to be able to record this
effect, relieving should be performed at stresses much higher than
Fig. 6. Engineering stress-strain curve of nitinol annealed at the stress accompanying the high-temperature  low-temperature
500oC; specimen stretched and relieved at 250oC transformation.

The material in as-delivered condition stretched at 250oC was

characterised by the proof stress R0,2=227MPa and tensile References
strength Rm=1227MPa. The recorded percentage elongation was
28%. [1] A.Ziółkowski, Pseudosprężystość stopów z pamięcią
kształtu, badania doświadczalne i opis teoretyczny.
Warszawa: Instytut Podstawowych Problemów Techniki
4. Discussion of results PAN, 2006.
[2] A. Sapińska-Wcisło. Praca doktorska: Mechatroniczne
Tensile curves differ considerably and reflect the processes człony wykonawcze z zastosowaniem materiałów
which occur in material during deformation and remain in strict inteligentnych, AGH, 2006.
correlation with its condition. Tests have been carried out on the [3] Z. Bojarski, Metale z pamięcią kształtu.Państwowe
material in two conditions, i.e. as-delivered and after annealing at Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 1989.
500oC followed by slow cooling with furnace. The tensile curves [4] B. Ciszewski, W. Przetakiewicz, Nowoczesne materiały
plotted for the annealed condition have the shape different than w technice, Warszawa: Belona, 1993.
the shape of the curves obtained for other typical structural
materials.

158 ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 10, Issue 3/2010, 155-158