Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-018-4658-z

ORIGINAL PAPER

Martensitic Transformation and Magnetic Properties of the CuAl,

CuAlMn, and CuAlMnZn Alloys
Y. Emre Gerdan1 · E. Aldirmaz2 · M. Guler3 · H. Tanak2 · E. Guler3

Received: 14 March 2018 / Accepted: 20 March 2018

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018

Abstract
In the present work, the effect of alloying elements on the phase transformation which are formed by cooling effect in CuAl,
CuAlMn, and CuAlMnZn (wt%) alloys are investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample
magnetometer (VSM) characterization techniques. From SEM observations, the martensite formation with different mor-
phologies is observed in these alloys. But the results of the scanning electron microscope investigations presented in this
work have not formed the precipitates in the CuAl alloy with Mn or Zn additions. We found that magnetic saturation and coer-
civity values decreased with the addition of Mn and Zn elements to the CuAl alloy. The findings confirmed the variation in
magnetic properties, which occurred in the result of adding different alloying elements.

Keywords Alloying · Phase transformations · Magnetic properties · Magnetic field · Magnetization

1 Introduction engineering applications [7–9]. The ferromagnetic materials

The shape memory alloys (SMAs) are promising materials
for industrial and medical applications due to the interesting
properties in high transformation temperature, low cost of
production and ease in manufacturing processes [1–3]. There-
fore, the copper-based shape memory alloys have been stud-
ied extensively. The physical, chemical, and electrical prop-
erties of SMAs can be changed with phase transformations,
addition of different alloying elements, deformation and
applied heat treatments [4–6]. Ferromagnetic shape memory
alloys are a new class of smart materials. They can be used
in space technology, automotive industry, and robotics for
 E. Aldirmaz
ealdirmaz@gmail.com
 M. Guler
mlkgnr@gmail.com
1 Institute of Sciences, Amasya University, Amasya, Turkey
2 Department of Physics, Science and Arts Faculty,
Amasya University, Amasya, Turkey
3 Department of Physics, Science and Arts Faculty,
Hitit University, Corum, Turkey
can be classified as hard and soft magnetic characteristics.
The soft magnetic material must have a high initial perme-
ability and a low coercivity and hysteresis energy losses,
whereas a hard magnetic material has a high remanence,
coercivity, and saturation flux density, as well as a low initial
permeability and high hysteresis energy losses, as shown in
Fig. 1. The hysteresis characteristics for hard and soft mag-
netic materials are compared in Fig. 1. When the coercivity
is less than 12.6 Oe, it is defined as soft magnets. When the
coercivity is larger than 2.5 kOe, it is considered as hard or
permanent magnets. The characteristics of magnetic mate-
rials, including saturation magnetization and coercivity, are
best determined [10–12]. Therefore, the main objective of
the present work is to determine the effect of Mn and Zn
as alloying element on magnetic and structural properties of
martensite phase occurred in CuAl alloy.
2 Experimental
The alloy compositions, determined by EDX, are given in
Table 1. The composition of the alloys used in the pre-
sent study were CuAl (alloy A), CuAlMn (alloy B), and
CuAlMnZn (alloy C) (wt%) and alloys were prepared by
 J Supercond Nov Magn

3 Results

3.1 SEM Observations

The microstructure of the alloys after quenching in water

at room temperature is shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2a, we
observed the microstructures of alloy A which is formed β1
martensite and precipitations that they were uniformly dis-
tributed among small needles martensite matrix [13, 14].
The microstructures of the alloys B and C consist of β1 and
γ1 martensites. In both alloys we did not observe the forma-
tion of any precipitate. It was found that the predominant β1
type thin martensite from Fig. 2b, c. But the γ1 type marten-
site that is thicker than the β1 type thin martensite is present
with in the martensite variants [15, 16]. The addition of Mn
and Zn to the CuAl alloy led to the various morphologies
and structures of the obtained phases and the precipitates
disappeared. As mentioned in previous literature papers,
different martensite formation in CuAlMn alloys strictly
depends on the alloy composition and amount of Mn and Al
Fig. 1 Schematic magnetization curves for soft and hard magnetic in CuAlMn alloy systems [8, 15]. Additionally, the chemical
materials [12] composition of investigated alloy prior heat treatment condi-
tions as well as following quenching process (water cooling
or room temperature quenching) also effect the resultant dif-
vacuum induction melting under an argon atmosphere from ferent martensite and precipitates phase in Cu-based alloys
pure (99.9%) alloying elements. The product alloys were cylin- system [17].
drical bars with 1-cm diameter, 10-cm length. To observe the
phase transformation of each group, the A–C alloys were 3.2 VSM Observations
austenitized at 850 ◦ C for 1 h and quenched the samples into
water at room temperature. Prepared samples were chemi- Figure 3 display the change in the magnetization against the
cally etched for scanning electron microscopy observations external applied magnetic field for alloys A–C. The VSM
of (FeCl3 6·H2 O) methanol with HCl. The microstructure measurements were taken at room temperature directly from
characterization of the alloys were studied using FEI/ the martensite phase of alloys A–C. The results show typical
Quanta 450 FEG type scanning electron microscope with ferromagnetic behavior for martensite phases of alloy A
20 kV working voltage. To observe the effect of Zn and Mn [18]. However, alloys B and C showed quite weak magnetic
addition on magnetic properties of the CuAl alloy, the sam- hysteresis behavior. According to magnetic hysteresis, the
ples were measured using the physical property measuring addition of Mn and Zn elements caused to decrease the
system (Quantum Design PPMS-9t). The field dependence magnetic saturation, coercivity, and ferromagnetic behavior
of magnetization M (H ) at room temperature (T = 300 K). for alloy A. The coercivities of the alloy A was determined
Temperature dependence of the magnetization M (T ) was to be ∼ 110 Oe and of alloy B was determined to be ∼ 50 Oe
measured under an external magnetic field of 500 Oe. and alloy C was determined to be ∼ 60 Oe. The saturation
value of the alloy A determined as ∼ 0.03306 emu g−1 .
The magnetic saturation value of alloys B and C upon
Table 1 Weight composition of the alloys obtained from EDX results magnetic field application were determined as ∼ 0.00006
and as ∼ 0.00005 emu g−1 , respectively. The reason
Alloy Cu (wt%) Al (wt%) Mn (wt%) Zn (wt%) for the saturation field or magnetization is determined
CuAl (A) 89.44 10.56 – –
only by the composition of the materials. Moreover, the
CuAlMn (B) 83.69 11.39 4.91 –
grain size causes the exchange coupling between the
magnetic moments going over the grain boundaries [11].
CuAlMnZn (C) 82.51 11.00 4.52 1.97
As mentioned in previous literature studies magnetization in
J Supercond Nov Magn

Fig. 2 SEM micrographs

showing the structure of a alloy
A, b alloy B, and c alloy C

(a)

(b)

(c)

CuAlMn alloys strictly depends on the alloy composition and magnetization diminishes in the martensitic phases for three
slight Mn–Mn pairs changes in CuAl alloy systems [19–23]. alloys. The saturation magnetization is a maximum at 0 K,
The magnetization-temperature (M-T ) curves are given at which temperature the thermal vibrations are a minimum.
in Fig. 4. With increasing temperature, the saturation This result depend on the magnetocrystalline anisotropy
 J Supercond Nov Magn

(a)
(a)

(b)
(b)

(c)
(c)
Fig. 4 Magnetization-temperature curve (M-T curve) in a alloy A,
Fig. 3 Magnetization as a function of applied magnetic field of a alloy b alloy B, and c alloy C
A, b alloy B, and c alloy C
J Supercond Nov Magn
with the martensitic transformation was enhanced, as in the
case of other ferromagnetic shape memory alloys [24–26].
In Fig. 4, Curie temperatures were calculated as 212 K for
alloy A.
4 Conclusion
In this work, CuAl alloy was produced by an arc melter, and
structural and magnetic observations were made to deter-
mine the effect of Mn and Zn in the alloys. We can draw the
present findings as the following:
1. The observations given here are corroborative of the
possibility that the compositional difference in between
the alloys should directly affect the various martensite
morphologies.
2. When elements of Mn and Zn is added, the precipitates
disappeared in CuAlMn and CuAlMnZn alloys.
3. The alloying elements Mn and Zn decreased the satura-
tion and ferromagnetic behavior due to the formation of
fine precipitate particles, which change the composition
of the matrix.
4. The hysteresis loop of alloys CuAlMn and CuAlMnZn
have narrow while the CuAl alloy has larger hysteresis
loop.
5. According to the magnetization-temperature (M-T )
curves the magnetization is decreased with increasing
temperature for three alloys.
Funding Information The financial aid of the Amasya University
project No. FMB-BAP 17-0250 is gratefully acknowledged.
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