Effect of Gradient Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Properties of Cu–Al–Mn Shape Memory Alloy

The columnar-grained Cu–Al–Mn shape memory alloys (SMAs), which have good shape memory properties and are prepared by a unidirectional solidification technique, were subjected to a gradient heat treatment under temperatures ranging from 100 to 450 °C. After this treatment, the microstructure, hardness, transformation temperature and shape memory properties of these samples could exhibit gradient changing trends, all of which were investigated by optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a Vickers microhardness tester, and a compression machine. The microstructure observation result shows that the acicular bainite-precipitated phase produces from scratch and then grows continuously with the increasing of the heat treatment temperature, finally presenting a graded distribution from one end section to another of the sample. The hardness tests give the samples results also increasing with temperature. Specifically, the change relationship between hardness and the treatment temperature mathematically satisfies dynamic function. In addition, it can be concluded from mechanical tests the compressive elastic–superelastic strain and strength of the samples show gradient variation features. Overall, our experimental investigation indicates that a gradient heat treatment is an effective way to conduct microstructure control or design for the Cu–Al–Mn SMAs, and their graded properties are mainly caused by the different fractions of the bainite phase producing in different local areas after the gradient heat treatment.