Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of NiTi-Based Eutectic Shape Memory Alloy Produced via Selective Laser Melting In-Situ Alloying by Nb

This paper presents the results of selective laser melting (SLM) process of a nitinol-based NiTiNb shape memory alloy. The eutectic alloy Ni(45)Ti(45)Nb(10) with a shape memory effect was obtained by SLM in-situ alloying using a powder mixture of NiTi and Nb powder particles. Samples with a high relative density (>99%) were obtained using optimized process parameters. Microstructure, phase composition, tensile properties, as well as martensitic phase transformations temperatures of the produced alloy were investigated in as-fabricated and heat-treated conditions. The NiTiNb alloy fabricated using the SLM in-situ alloying featured the microstructure consisting of the NiTi matrix, fine NiTi+β-Nb eutectics, as well as residual unmelted Nb particles. The mechanical tests showed that the obtained alloy has a yield strength up to 436 MPa and the tensile strength up to 706 MPa. At the same time, in-situ alloying with Nb allowed increasing the hysteresis of martensitic transformation as compared to the alloy without Nb addition from 22 to 50 °C with an increase in A(f) temperature from −5 to 22 °C.