Fatigue behavior of Cu-Al-Be shape memory single crystals

The fatigue behavior of Cu-Al-Be share memory single crystals is studied in cyclic loading mechanical tests. Based on literature and on tensile tests performed at various temperatures, a model is proposed to explain the mecha nism of fatigue. This model is based on the idea that during cyclings, the different zones of the samples spend various lengths of time in the martens itic state. During that time, martensite evolves because of the occurrence of some reordering or other diffusional phenomena inside, and consequently, the value of the martensite start temperature for each zone changes. The k inetics of the change in mechanical behavior along with the cycles, as a fu nction of the test temperature, are accurately described by a Johnson-Mehl relation. Relaxation tests suggest that the mechanism described not only de pends on time and temperature but is also re-enforced by the movement of th e martensite-matrix interface. From the kinetics of this fatigue behavior, an empirical activation energy related to the mechanism is inferred for thi s Cu-Al-Be alloy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.