Stress-induced martensitic transformation in Cu–Al–Zn–Mn polycrystal investigated by two in-situ neutron diffraction techniques

In-situ neutron diffraction studies of internal strains, stresses and phase fractions in pseudoelastic Cu–Al–Zn–Mn shape memory alloy (SMA) evolving during two tensile load cycles at constant temperature are reported. The results are discussed with the aim of demonstrating the applicability of this experimental technique for the SMA research. Particularly, an experimental information on the mechanisms by which individual grains of the transforming polycrystal share the macroscopic stress – load partition – as well as quantitative information on the residual stress frozen in the austenite phase after the first cycle are discussed.