Diffusion and its Application in NiMnGa Alloys

Heusler NiMnGa alloys are often categorized as ferromagnetic shape memory alloys or magnetocaloric materials, which are important for both practical applications and fundamental research. The NiMnGa alloys undergo a series of diffusion and diffusionless transformation from high temperature to low temperature. Among these transformation, martensitic transformation from austenitic phase to martensitic phase is critical in determining the properties of the alloys. Although martensitic transformation is considered diffusionless, diffusion also has important applications in the research of NiMnGa alloysDiffusion couples along with equilibrium alloys have been used to determine the ternary phase diagrams in NiMnGa alloys. Phase diagrams are important in selecting NiMnGa alloys, in particular two-phase NiMnGa alloys for practical applications. Furthermore, the diffusion couples effectively assist in the determination of compositions that exhibit martensitic transformation temperature near room temperature. Diffusion coefficients have been assessed for NiMnGa alloys. Tracer diffusivity of Ni, Mn and Ga was reported in a wide temperature range and followed Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energies were obtained, corresponding to B2 and L21 crystal structure, respectively. Interdiffusion coefficients for NiMnGa alloys with B2 crystal structure are measured, which showed that Ni diffuses the fastest, followed by Mn then Ga. The diffusion coefficients provide useful information for fabricating NiMnGa alloys through diffusional process.A combinatorial approach involving diffusion couples and advance characterization has been developed to investigate the mechanical properties, microstructure and crystallography of NiMnGa alloys rapidly and systematically over a large compositional range. The composition-dependent modulus and hardness for NiMnGa alloys was extracted from the diffusion couples with the help of nanoindentation. Martensitic phases with non-modulated and various modulated crystal structures, and austenitic phase were identified in the interdiffusion zones by transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate the capability of using diffusion couples to speed up the discovery of new NiMnGa alloys or other similar alloys showing martensitic transformation.