Shape memory effect and magnetostriction in rapidly solidified Fe-29.6 at %Pd alloy

Rapidly solidified ferromagnetic shape memory Fe-29.6 at% Pd alloy was fabr icated to develop a new type of actuator material responded to magnetic fie ld. The thin ribbon samples which were made by the originally designed elec tromagnetically controlled nozzleless melt-spinning method showed stronger crystal anisotropy and larger shape memory effect. Magnetostriction increas ed with increasing magnetic field and its value changed with increasing tem perature up to about 1800 microstrain at an applied magnetic field, H = 8.0 x 10(5) A/m (=10 kOe), at just below the inverse phase transformation temp erature (A(s)). This phenomenon may be caused by the re-arrangements of the activated martensitic twin variants due to applying magnetic field. The de pendencies of shape memory effect and giant magnetostriction on metallurgic al microstructures are discussed from the viewpoint of the crystal anisotro py and the grain boundary character distribution.