Role of carbon in improving the shape memory effect of Fe–Mn–Si–Cr–Ni alloys by thermo-mechanical treatments

To clarify the role of carbon in improving the shape memory effect of Fe-Mn-Si-based shape memory alloys by thermomechanical treatments, we investigated the effect of optimum thermomechanical treatments on shape memory effect and microstructures of Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni and Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni-0.12C alloys. The Cr23C6 particles in optimum thermomechanical-treated Fe-14Mn-5S-8Cr-4Ni-0.12C more effectively prevented collisions between stress-induced epsilon martensite bands than the residual alpha' martensite in optimum thermomechanical-treated Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni. This result is attributed to the thinner width of stress-induced epsilon martensite bands in optimum thermomechanical-treated Fe-14Mn-5S-8Cr4-Ni-0.12C compared to optimum thermomechanical-treated Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni. In addition, the Cr23C6 particles formed at more sites and provided more obstacles as compared with the residual alpha' martensite. Accordingly, the recovery strain of Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni-0.12C was higher than that of Fe-14Mn-5Si-8Cr-4Ni. It is concluded that carbon addition is beneficial to further improving the shape memory effect of Fe-Mn-Si-based shape memory alloys by thermomechanical treatments.