Characterization of the phase transformations in shape-memory alloys by modulated differential scanning calorimetry

Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) is a recently developed calorimetric technique, which has demonstrated some significant advantages over the conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). By separatin g the reversing quantity from the non-reversing component in the total ther mal events, it provides some new information that can not be obtained from the conventional DSC. The technique has been applied to various polycrystal line and single crystalline shape-memory alloys, including Cu-Zn-Al, Cu-Al- Ni, Ti-Ni(Cu), Ni-Mn-Ga and Fe-Mn-Si, to characterize the martensitic trans formations, bainitic transformation, chemical and magnetic ordering transit ions, atomic reordering and other kinetic relaxation processes in the alloy s. The preliminary results of the MDSC measurements are summarized and the interpretation of the MDSC results and some factors affecting the results a re discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.