Abstract: The deformed microstructures of a TiNi shape memory alloy were investigated in present study to clarify the deformation mechanism. It is found that the stress-strain curve was divided into three stages based on the deformation modes. The cause of martensitic stabilization effect was also interpreted by paying special attention to the deformed microstructures. Transmission electron microscopic examination revealed that at the early stage of deformation martensitic reorientation and compound twinning relieved some of the elastic strain energy stored in martensite, and this contributes to the martensitic stabilization effect. However, when deformation strain became larger, the density of dislocations increased correspondingly. Antiphase boundaries were also found. The degree of ordering was therefore decreased due to dislocations and antiphase boundaries. So disordering was another cause of martensitic stabilization e®ect. In the middle stage of deformation martensitic stabilization was attributed to the two reasons above.

Key words: TiNi shape memory alloy, Transmission electron microscopy, Ordering, Dislocation, Martensitic transformation