Texture in Cu-based shape memory strips obtained by twin roll casting

Strips of Cu–13Al–5Ni–1Ti (wt.%) of about 400 μm thickness were obtained by twin-roll casting directly from the melt. Temperature-induced transformations under constant tensile load show a larger deformation, associated with the reversible martensitic transformation, for strips annealed at 700 °C and 900 °C than for the as-cast samples. This effect is partially ascribed to relaxation of internal stresses produced by the rapid solidification, some recovery of short-range disorder and microstructural changes related to Ti-rich X-phase precipitates. On the other hand, the strips show a columnar grain morphology and annealing leads to an increase of texture intensity related with the increase in elongation rate. Columnar grains are mostly aligned with the 〈 0 4 0 〉 R 18 / / 〈 1 0 0 〉 D O 3 directions.