Effect of aging on martensitic transformation in γ-MnCu alloy

Effect of isothermal aging was investigated on fcc–fct martensitic transformation behavior of Mn–14at.%Cu alloy. It was revealed that by aging at temperatures ranging from 630 to 690 K, the transformation temperature increases markedly and the residual resistivity decreases in parallel. DSC peak profiles have also been modified significantly by aging. A good linear correlation has been found between the changes in the information temperature and those in the resistivity. It is also shown that the observed transformation temperature increase, resistivity decrease and their linear correlation can be well explained by the rule of mixture assuming the heterogeneous microstructure, which forms as a result of spinodal decomposition as reported in previous studies.