Smart Behaviour in a CuZnAl Single Crystal Alloy

The Step-wise Martensite to Austenite Reversible Transformation (SMART) has been widely investigated in polycrystalline shape memory alloys and its key features are, on the whole, well established. Though some working hypothesis have been put in advance, the full understanding of this “micromemory” phenomenon is still open. Specifically, the most probable origin of the SMART, relies on a local relaxation of the elastic energy. In order to clarify the advanced hypothesis, a CuZnAl single crystal alloy, where the elastic energy contribution to the thermoelastic balance is typically smaller than in the case of polycrystalline specimens, has been examined. All the investigated specimens have shown, though at different extent the SMART: results have shown that the larger the elastic energy involved, the more evident the SMART phenomenology is. Thus, the present findings further support the role of the elastic energy in the SMART.