DOE OSTI2015
The phase transformation and magnetostriction of bulk Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} and Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} (at. %) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMs) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and a magnetostrictive-meter setup. For the Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy solution treated at 1100 °C for 4 h and quenched in ice brine, the antiphase boundary segments of the D0{sub 3} domain were observed in the A2 (disordered) matrix, and the Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy had an optimal magnetostriction (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= 71 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −31 × 10{sup −6}). In Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy as-quenched, aged at 700 °C for 24 h, and furnace cooled, D0{sub 3} nanoclusters underwent phase transformation to an intermediate tetragonal phase (i.e., L1{sub 0}-like martensite) via Bain distortion, and finally L1{sub 2} (Fe{sub 3}Ga) structures precipitated, as observed by TEM and XRD. The L1{sub 0}-like martensite and L1{sub 2} phases in the aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy drastically decreased the magnetostriction from positive to negative (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= −20 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −8 × 10{sup −6}). However, in Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} FSM alloy as-quenched and aged, the phase transformation of D0{sub 3} to an intermediate tetragonal martensite phase and precipitation of L1{sub 2} structures were not found. The results indicate that the aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} FSM alloy maintained stable magnetostriction (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= 36 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −31 × 10{sup −6}). Adding Zn can improve the ferromagnetic shape memory effect of aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} alloy, which may be useful in application of the alloy in high temperature environments.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗