Effect of microstructure on two-way shape memory effect in Cu-Al-Mn alloys

The shape memory effect (SME) and the two-way shape memory effect (TWME) of Cu-Al-Mn alloys induced by single bending deformation at room temperature were investigated in relation to the microstructural features of grain size and texture. It was found that the control of the texture and/or grain size significantly improves not only the SME, but also the TWME. Especially, the specimen with near {112}<102> texture obtained by cold-rolling and further recrystallization showed a high degree of TWME (ε_TWME = 3.6%) in the surface strain which is of the highest level of the TWME in the Cu-base shape memory alloys. It can be concluded that a high level of TWME in the bending deformation mode can be obtained from specimens with an excellent SME.