Influence of stresses on martensitic transformation in ferromagnetic shape memory Ni_(50)Mn_(19)Fe_6Ga_(25) ribbons

The influence of stresses on martensitic transformation in Ni50Mn19Fe6Ga25 melt-spun ribbons was studied. X-ray diffraction examination shows that the ribbon has a pure cubic L21 phase at room temperature and that the ribbon surface exhibits [100] preferentially oriented texture, while the [110] axis is about 45° tilted from the normal of the ribbon. By calculating the d spacing at different angles with the length direction of the ribbon, the tension was observed. It was found that the direction of the stress was along [010] direction of the oriented textured grains. During cooling, there is no obvious structural transition observed in as-spun ribbons. However, when the ribbons were annealed at 900 K for 24 h, the tension along [010] direction disappeared and the structural transition from cubic to tetragonal occurred obviously during cooling. It indicates that it is the tension along [010] direction to suppress the martensitic transformation in the as-spun ribbons.