Open Engineering 2024; 14: 20240013
Regular Article
Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan*, Iman Adnan Annon, Sundus M. Noori and Dauod Selman Dauod
Effect of short heat treatment on mechanical
properties and shape memory properties of
Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy
https://doi.org/10.1515/eng-2024-0013
received June 20, 2023; accepted March 08, 2024
Abstract: The transformation of shape-memory alloys to
high-temperature shape-memory alloys can be achieved
through either the addition of alloying elements or heat
treatment. However, heat treatment is more effective in
improving the properties of the alloys. This research paper
explores the impact of annealing on the mechanical and
shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory
alloys. The alloys were first cast, homogenized, and then
machined before being aged at temperatures of 250, 300,
and 350°C, and finally air-cooled. The results showed an
increase in transformation temperature and recovery strain,
as well as shape memory effect, and a decrease in hardness.
Moreover, there was an increase in yield stress and strain. In
conclusion, aging was found to improve the shape memory
properties and mechanical properties better than thermome-
chanical treatment and some alloying elements.
Keywords: shape memory alloys, heat treatment, mechan-
ical properties, shape memory effect
1 Introduction
Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) have been in high demand
since the beginning of the century for their applications
in fields ranging from biomedical to actuators. They are
considered smart materials that can be improved and

* Corresponding author: Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan, Department of
Material Engineering, University of Technology – Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq,
e-mail: 130013@uotechnology.edu.iq
Iman Adnan Annon, Sundus M. Noori, Dauod Selman Dauod:
Department of Production Engineering Metallurgy, University of
Technology – Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
ORCID: Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan 0000-0003-3679-3754; Iman Adnan
Annon 0000-0003-1435-5606; Dauod Selman Dauod 0000-0003-
0016-8332
Open Access. © 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.
modified [1]. The SMA’s mechanical and shape memory
properties can be improved by adding alloying elements
[2–4] or by using heat treatment methods such as annealing,
aging, thermomechanical, etc. Cu-based SMAs are in demand
due to economic reasons, and they are manufactured by
casting or powder metallurgy. Although they are hard,
they can be machined by EDM machines. Researchers
like Abbass et al. [5] have studied the effect of heat treat-
ment on the martensitic transformation of Cu-based shape
memory alloys, and they found that it increases the hard-
ness and decreases elongation. Aksu Canbay and Karagoz
[6] found that aging increases the transformation tempera-
tures, transformation hysteresis, and successive marten-
sitic transitions. The enthalpy of reverse transformation
increases with aging temperature, but it exhibits no
systematic dependence on aging time. Cu–Al–Ni shape
memory alloy parameters are affected by aging. Agarwal
and Dube [7] found that Heat treatment reduces the alloys’
mechanical properties. It increases the alloy’s hardness.
Payandeh et al. [8] studied the effect of heat treatment
on the martensitic transformation of Cu-based shape
memory alloys with the increase of hardness and decrease
of Elongation. Suresh and Ramamurty [9,10] found that The
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms of
the aged samples show an increase in transformation tem-
peratures as well as transformation hysteresis with aging.
Both the tensile and the compression responses and their
variation with aging were evaluated. With aging, succes-
sive martensitic transitions and the DSC thermogram of the
aged samples show an increase in transformation tempera-
tures as well as transformation hysteresis. Dagadelen et al.
[11] found it was also confirmed that the transformation
temperatures increased with thermal treatment tempera-
ture and time. In addition, an enthalpy of reverse transfor-
mation increased with aging temperature, but it exhibited
no systematic dependence on the aging time. Nevin Balo
and Neslihan [12] found that the parameters of the Cu–Al–
Ni shape memory alloy are affected by aging. Ivanić et al.
[13] found that the heat treatment procedure reduced the
alloys’ mechanical properties and increased the hardness
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2  Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan et al.

of the alloy ness. Yavuzer et al. [14] studied the effect of

heat treatment the effects of milling time and heat treatment
on the microstructure and wear behavior of Cu–Al–Ni shape
memory alloys produced by the mechanical alloying method
were investigated. Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys were pro-
duced by mechanical alloying in four different durations,
Rashidi et al. [15] modified the formed martensite phases
and MT temperatures, which is possible by controlling the
quenching rate and aging temperature. Damping ability is
one of the distinct advantages of these Cu-based SMAs. Too
many applications, one of the most common applications of
shape memory alloys is in the aviation field specifically air-
planes such as the Airbus A320 flaps [16], the drones, and the
UMAV since the Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys are more
economical than other types, another application is the
seismic field, and since the devastating earthquakes in Syria
and Turkey, the need for safety systems for old buildings is
Figure 1: Heat treatment furnace.
in high demand. Cu-based SMAs are the best choice for non-
medical applications such as these systems because they
have a low cost compared to other shape memory alloys
such as nitinol or iron-based shape memory alloys [17]. So
an anti-earthquake system is required for the safety of old
and historic buildings, and Cu-based shape memory alloys
are the best choice. This article aims to study the effect of
low-temperature heat treatment (250, 300, and 350°C) on
mechanical properties by applying compression, hardness
tests, and shape memory properties for the Al–Cu–Ni SMA.

2 Experimental work

2.1 Melting and casting

The materials were pure Cu wires (99.99%), Al foils (99.99%),
and Ni powder (99.99%), and the metals were melted and
cast at 1,200°C in an induction furnace under argon
atmosphere, then homogenized at 950°C for 30 min, and
quenched in ice brine solution; the alloys were subjected
to a heat treatment performed at 250, 300, and 350°C for 4
h and then air-cooled in carbonate furnace as shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 2: (a) SEM and (b) compression specimens.
hardness of 14 mm diameter and 5 mm thickness, as shown
in Figure 2. Also, specimens for SEM were ground and
polished, and etching was performed with (FeCl3·6H2O +
HCl + Methanol) for 4 min. The alloys were then categor-
ized depending on treatment as shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Categorization of the alloys

2.2 Machining
Alloy Temp. (°C)

They machined in an EDM wire cutting machine into two A1 —

ASTM-E9 specimens 1.4 mm in diameter and 28 mm in A2 250
A3 300
height for compressive test and thermomechanical cou-
A4 350
pling with a tiny specimen for DSC and another for HV
 Mechanical properties and shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni SMA  3

2.3 Chemical composition and X-ray

diffraction

Chemical composition was performed by an AVE 3000 data

analyzer. Table 2 shows the results of the analysis. Also, the
XRD test was performed by a Shmidzoo 6,000 device as
shown in Figure 3.

Table 2: The result of the chemical analysis

Element Cu Al Ni

Percentage (%) Rem 14 4.5

Figure 4: Instron 9000 device.

Figure 3: X-ray diffraction device.

2.4 Mechanical properties

The alloys were put into compression test in Instron 9000,

as shown in Figure 4, and a thermomechanical test was
applied with limit loading and unloading compression test
up to 25 KN by a Larray 800 device to calculate the
recovery strain, as for Vickers hardness test shown in
Figure 5. Figure 5: Hardness device.

2.5 Diffraction scanning calorimetry 3 Results and discussion

The Diffraction Scanning Calorimetry test was performed The results section may be divided by subheadings. It
by the SATRAN Labsys 300 device as shown in Figure 6. It should provide a concise and precise description of the
operates on a range of 700 to −170°C and 25–350°C in both experimental results, their interpretation, as well as the
exothermic and endothermic directions. experimental conclusions that can be drawn.
4  Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan et al.

Also, Figure 7(a–d) shows the thermograms of alloys,

and there is a shift in the transformation temperatures to
reach outside the domain with a rise in transformation

1.5
1
0.5
Mf=100°C Ms=133°C
C
0
-0.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
SampleTemperature(°C)

Heat flow (μV)

-1
-1.5 A1
-2
-2.5
-3
-3.5 As=127°C Af=165°C
-4

(a)
Figure 6: DSC device.
80
Mf=86°C
Ms=123°C
60
3.1 Shape memory properties
40

3.1.1 DSC thermogram 20

Heat flow (μV) A2

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Table 2 shows the results of the DSC thermogram of the -20
Sample Tempereature(°C)
alloys, with the calculation of equilibrium temperature (T°) -40
from equation (1) [18], Spread (S) from equation (2), and As=135°C Af=180 °C
-60
Hysteresis (H) from equation (3) [19]; these equations are
-80
necessary to observe the effectiveness of the transforma- (b)
tion process.
80

∘
Af + Ms Mf=89°C Ms=143°C
T = , (1) 60
2
40
S = Af –As , (2)
Heat Flow (μV)

20
H = As –Mf , (3)
A3
0
Af is the austenite finish temperature (°C), As is the austenite 0 50 100 150 200
Sample Temperature °C
250 300 350 400
-20
start temperature (°C), Ms is the martensite start tempera-
ture (°C), and Mf is the martensite finish temperature (°C) -40
As=241 °C Af=301 °C
Table 3 shows the results of the DSC Thermogram of -60

the alloys, with the calculation of equilibrium Temperature (c)

from equation (1), Spread from equation (2), and Hysteresis 40
from Heat flow (μV) (equation (3)). There is a shift in the 30 Ms=89°C
transformation temperature, and it is found that the trans- 20 Ms= 115°C
formation temperature had risen as shown in Table 3. 10
Healow (μV)

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
-10 A4
Sample Temperature °C
Table 3: Transformation temperatures for the alloys -20

-30

Alloy As (°C) Af (°C) Ms (°C) Mf (°C) T° H S -40 As=241°C Af=279°C

-50
A1 129 165 157 100 179 29 36
A2 135 180 123 86 178 49 45 (d)
A3 241 301 143 89 286 152 60
Figure 7: DSC thermograms for SMA: (a) base alloy, (b) aged at 250°C, (c)
A4 246 279 115 89 291 157 33
aged at 300°C, and (d) aged at 350°C.
 Mechanical properties and shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni SMA  5

temperature in the same case [9] due to enthalpy changes. Table 4: Shape memory properties for the alloys
Niven Balo and Neslihan [12] attributed that to short aging
time and it affected the hysteresis; also, it is caused by the Alloy εRecovery (%) SME (%) EM (GPa) EA (GPa)
bigger transformation in the martensite phase, and the A1 1.39 97 149.54 21.90
grain size was shorter and finer, and more austenite phase A2 0.67 97.5 15.4 3.91
formation with a very high increase in equilibrium A3 0.5 98.5 2.08 8.34
temperature A4 0.39 99 1.07 5.52

3.1.2 Recovery strain 1200

1000
Recovery strain is the strain at the end point of the
unloading stress–strain diagram for shape memory alloys 800

Stress (MPa)
calculated and shows how elastic the alloy is [19]. A2
600
A1
l − l∘
∈= %. (4) 400 A3
l∘ A4
200
Figure 8 shows the recovery strain for the alloys; there is
a decrease in the recovery stain with the rise of aging tem- 0
0 5 10 15 20 25
perature due to the increase of the austenite phase over the Strain
martensite phase as Abbass et al. [5] found after thermome-
chanical treatment. The same result was found by Dawood
Figure 9: Stress–strain diagram for the shape memory alloys.
and Adnan [20] with more austenite phase after a thermo-
mechanical treatment with less load, compared with adding
alloying element shape memory properties which was better thermomechanical treatment. Also, the shape memory effect
than the work of Adnan et al. [3,4] by adding Sn and Ce. increased to a near super elastic limit, and the Modulus of
Table 4 shows the recovery strain for the alloys; there elasticity for martensite (EM) and austenite (EA) can be cal-
is a decrease in the recovery stain with the rise of aging culated as suggested by Lagoudas [21] by taking the slope of
temperature due to the increase of the austenite phase a tangent in both martensite and austenite directions; the
over the martensite phase as Abbas et al. [5] found after result showed that the modulus of elasticity was less than

25

20

15
Stress (MPa)

A3
10
A4
A2
5
A1

0
-0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

-5
Strain

Figure 8: Stress–strain diagram of recovery strain for the alloys.

6  Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan et al.

what Abbass et al. [5] found when they used thermomecha- 3.2 Mechanical properties
nical treatment due to the increase in the austenite phase
was less than this work. Figure 9 shows the stress–strain of the alloys, and there
is an increase in yield stress and maximum compression
test with a rise of aging temperature with an increase in
Table 5: Mechanical properties for the SMAs strain and a decrease in hardness; this is due to the
increase in austenite phase, and also, the short time this
Alloy σy (MPa) σMax (N/mm2) εmax (%) HV
was found also in the works by Ivanić et al. [13]; there was
A1 430 768 12.5 363 also an increase in yield stress and maximum compression
A2 738 911 12.64 286 stress which indicates the improvement in mechanical
A3 747 939 17.84 253
properties with rising temperature and the reduction of
A4 753 966 20.83 218
martensite due to dislocation. Compared with adding

Figure 10: SEM images for SMA: (a) base alloy, (b) aged at 250°C, (c) aged at 300°C, and (d) aged at 350°C.
 Mechanical properties and shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni SMA  7

Figure 11: XRD results for the base alloys.

Table 6: XRD phases for base alloys shape form in pairs or two pairs as was found in Figure 2(a–d);
the martensite base had been decreased with the austenite
Alloy 2θ° dm A d°A I/I° (%) Symbol phase being the predominant phase with the sign of oxidation
AlCu3 44.808 1.998 2.021 100 due to air-penetrated furnace atmosphere.
The fine grain size gives an improvement in mechan-
Al19Cu23Ni 46.609 1.947 1.9307 80
ical properties with small precipitations which can affect
Al7Cu23Ni 42.707 2.088 2.114 65 martensite and the stacks (ϒ′) are shorter as is the needle
shape (β′) phase and affine grains which can improve
mechanical properties. There is an oxidation effect is also
alloying elements, mechanical properties were better found in the microstructure in the aged alloys, austenite (β)
than those of the work of Adnan et al. [3,4] by adding is found in the aged alloys due to the effect of heat treat-
Sn and Ce. ment and is the more dominant phase with rising aging
Table 5 shows the mechanical properties of the alloys. temperature; this behavior was also found by Abbass et al.
There is a decrease in Hardness for The Alloys. The effect of [5] and Dawood and Adnan [20] when they used thermo
time is found also in the study by Sampath [22] and Suresh mechanical treatment.
and Ramamurty [9] with the same treatment time which
can be attributed to the fine grain size. Also, since the
austenite phase is less hard than martensite and since it 3.4 X-Ray diffraction
is the predominant phase, this behavior of SMA is found in
the study by Abbass et al. [5] but hardness results of ther- Figure 11 shows the X-ray Diffraction test. The results show
momechanical treatment are less than aging and annealing the main phases in the Cu-based shape memory alloy as
by Canbay et al. [6] but in the same behavior martensite is Table 6 shows the formation of the Phases of the alloy the
a hard phase, comparing the results with the addition of martensite β′ and γ′ in their respective angles
elements in the work of Adnan et al. [3,4].

3.3 Microstructure 4 Conclusions

Figure 7(a–d) shows the microstructure of the shape memory From the obtained results it can be concluded that:
alloys. Figure 10(a) shows the base alloy both the martensite 1. Mechanical properties have improved which is because
phases are in two forms a needle shape (β′) and (γ′) stack of the reduction in the martensite phase and the increase
8  Raad Suhail Ahmed Adnan et al.
in austenite phase growth that causes an increase in yield
stress and maximum compression stress of the alloys.
2. Heat treatment has reduced hardness because of the
growth of the austenite phase and reduction of the mar-
tensite phase better than thermomechanical treatment
and the addition of some alloying elements.
3. Heat treatment has also caused a rise in transformation
temperature beyond the limits of the domain of the
Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys with an increase in
spread and hysteresis which is better than thermome-
chanical treatment.
4. Recovery strain had been decreased with rising aging
temperature and the growth of Martensite with better
than alloying elements and thermomechanical treatment.
5. The short time and low temperature of heat treatment
reduced the Martensite phase due to dislocation and
precipitation.
Acknowledgments: Many thanks to University of Technology
– Department of Materials Engineering – Iraq, Laboratory of
Strength of Materials, and DSC Lab.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there are no
conflicts of interest.
Data availability statement: All data are fully available
without restriction.
References
[1] Jani JM, Leary M, Subic A, Gibson MA. A review of shape memory
alloy research applications and opportunities. Mater Des.
2014;56:1078–133.
[2] Abbass MK, Al Kubaisy MM, Adnan RSA. The effect of Germanium
addition on mechanical properties & microstructure of Cu-Al-Ni
shape memory alloy. Mater Today: Proc. 2016;4:224–33.
[3] Adnan RSA, Abbass MK, Al Kubaisy MM. Effect of Ce addition on
mechanical properties and shape memory effect of Cu-14%Al-4.5%
Ni shape memory alloy. Mater Today: Proc. 2019;20:452–60. doi: 10.
1016/j.matpr.2019.09.164.
[4] Adnan, RSA, Abbass, MK, Jomaa DM,. Effect of tin addition on corro-
sion resistance and microstructure of Cu-based shape memory alloy.
Mater Today: Proc. 2021;42:2119–24. doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.12.295.
[5] Abbass MK, Al Kubaisy MM, Adnan RSA. The effect of thermo-
mechanical treatment on mechanical properties & microstructure
for (Cu-Al-Ni) shape memory alloy. Eng Tech J. 2016;34(A):224–33.
[6] Aksu Canbay C, Karagoz Z. Effects of annealing temperature on
thermomechanical properties of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys.
Int J Thermophys. 2013;34:325–1335.
[7] Agrawal A, Dube RK. Methods of fabricating Cu-Al-Ni shape
memory alloys. J Alloy Compd. 2018;750:235–47.
[8] Payandeh Y, Mirzakhani B, Bakhatiari Z. Hautocure, precipitation
and martensitic transformation in polycrystalline CuAlNi shape
memory alloy–Effect of short heat treatment. J Alloy Compd.
2022;891:162042. doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.162046.
[9] Suresh N, Ramamurty U. Effect of aging on the mechanical beha-
vior of single crystal Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys. Mater Sci Eng
A. 2007;454–455:492–9. doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2006.11.069.
[10] Suresh N, Ramamurty U. Aging response and its effect on the
functional properties of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys. J Alloy
Compd. 2008;449:113–8.
[11] Dagdelen F, Gokhan T, Aydogdu AY, Aydogdu YI, Adiguzel O. Effects
of thermal treatments on transformation behavior in shape
memory Cu–Al–Ni alloys. Mater Lett. 2003;57:1079–85.
[12] Nevin Balo S, Neslihan S. Effects of thermal aging on transforma-
tion temperatures and some physical parameters of Cu–13.5 wt.%
Al–4 wt.%Ni shape memory alloy. Thermochim Acta. 2012;536:1–5.
doi: 10.1016/j.tca.2012.02.007.
[13] Ivanić I, Kožuh S, Grgurić TH, Vrsalović L, Gojić M. The effect of heat
treatment on damping capacity and mechanical properties of
CuAlNi shape memory alloy. Materials. 2022;15:1825. doi: 10.3390/
ma15051825.
[14] Yavuzer B, Bicakci Ü, Simsek D, Ozyurek D. Effect of alloying time
and heat treatment on microstructure and tribological properties
of mechanical alloyed Cu-Al-Ni shape memory alloy. J Mater Eng
Perform. 2023;1–12. doi: 10.1007/s11665-023-08750-3.
[15] Rashidi K, Sulong AB, Muhamad N, Fayyaz A, Foudzi FM, Basir A.
Martensitic transformation characteristics, mechanical properties
and damping behavior of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys: A review
of their modifications and improvements. J Mater Res Technol.
2024;29:2732–49. doi: 10.1016/j.jmrt.2024.02.012.
[16] Jodin G, Tekap YB, Saucray JM, Rouchon JF, Triantafyllou M,
Braza M. Optimized design of real-scale A320 morphing high-lift
flap with shape memory alloys and innovative skin. Smart Mater
Struct. 2018;27(11):115005. doi: 10.1088/1361-665X/aae2ef.
[17] Van Hampeek J. Non-medical applications of shape memory alloys.
Mater Sci Eng. 1999;A273–275:134–48.
[18] Otsuka K, Wayman CM. Shape memory materials. 3rd edn. UK:
Cambridge University Press; 1999. p. 112–45.
[19] Lexcellent C. Shape memory alloy handbook. 2nd edn. New York,
USA: John Wiley and Son; 2013. p. 11–8.
[20] Dawood HA, Adnan RSA. The influence of thermo mechanical
treatment on corrosion resistance of Cu-Al-Ni shape memory alloy.
Mater Sci Forum. 2012;1078:111–7. doi: 10.4028/p-74h34t.
[21] Lagoudas DC. Shape memory alloys: modelling and engineering
application. USA: Springer; 2010. p. 26–8.
[22] Sampath V. Studies on the effect of grain refinement and thermal
processing on shape memory characteristics of Cu–Al–Ni alloys.
Smart Mater Struct. 2005;4:S253–60. doi: 10.1088/0964-1726/14/
5/013.