The effect of Sn content on mechanical, magnetization and shape memory behavior in NiMnSn alloys

Abstract The effects of the composition alteration on the magnetization and shape memory behavior of Ni 50 Mn 40-x Sn 10+x (x = 0, 1, 2, 3) alloys were systematically investigated by thermal, magnetic and mechanical experiments. Phase transformation from ferromagnetic austenite to weakly magnetic martensite was observed during thermal cycling under magnetic field and transformation temperatures were decreased with increasing Sn (or decreasing Mn). Moreover, the saturation magnetization of martensite increased with Sn content. Ni 50 Mn 40 Sn 10 showed the recoverable strain of 2.1% during thermal cycling under 300 MPa and the reversible superelastic strain of 2% at 190 °C. Mechanical experiments exhibited that the largest compressive deformation of about 7% at 650 MPa occurred in Ni 50 Mn 39 Sn 11 while Ni 50 Mn 40 Sn 10 had fractured at 4% and 390 MPa at room temperature.