journal article·2026-01Open access

Direct Observation of Microstructure Effect on Martensitic Transformation in Multifunctional Ni–Co–Mn–Ti Alloy

Kaiming Qiao, Ke Xu, Shulan Zuo, Caihua Gao, Haodong Chen, Ziyuan Yu, Hu Zhang

Small Structures· Volume 7· Issue 1

Abstract

All‐ d ‐metal alloys have recently emerged as potential candidates for multifunctional applications in solid‐state refrigeration, magnetic heat pumps, and thermomagnetic generators. Nevertheless, the limited martensitic transformation (MT) temperature span hinders their practical applications. In this study, microstructure engineering was utilized to control the MT of all‐ d ‐metal alloys. The microstructure effect on MT of Ni–Co–Mn–Ti alloy was directly observed via in situ temperature‐variable Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic domain evolutions not only highlight new application scenarios for Ni–Co–Mn–Ti alloy in magnetic storage but also reveal the mechanism of microstructure control of MT. Grain refinement and escalated local disorder significantly inhibits martensite formation in Ni 36.5 Co 13.5 Mn 35 Ti 15 alloy, thereby decelerating the MT kinetics and lowing MT temperature. Thus, the MT temperature span of Ni 36.5 Co 13.5 Mn 35 Ti 15 ribbons is extended and manipulated in a 60 K (255–315 K) temperature region by adjusting microstructure. The maximum entropy changes (0–3 T) of 17 J kg −1 K −1 in Ni 36.5 Co 13.5 Mn 35 Ti 15 ribbons are doubling that of the benchmark magnetic refrigerant Gd. Refrigeration capacity (0–2 T) in Ni 36.5 Co 13.5 Mn 35 Ti 15 ribbons increased by 56%, surpassing most Ni–Mn‐based alloys. These findings open up new application scenarios for metamagnetic alloys in magnetic storage and highlight the pivotal role of microstructure on MT, enormously facilitating the manipulation and application of these materials.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Shape Memory Alloy Transformations · Metallic Glasses and Amorphous Alloys · Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Materials Science and Engineering University of Science and Technology Beijing Beijing China

School of Materials Science and Engineering Beihang University Beijing China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (50)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.449410.1103/PhysRevLett.78.4494 ↗
2. 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.05.07010.1016/j.actamat.2018.05.070 ↗
3. 10.1016/j.actamat.2020.04.03110.1016/j.actamat.2020.04.031 ↗
4. 10.1002/adfm.20241444110.1002/adfm.202414441 ↗
5. 10.1016/j.actamat.2025.12103310.1016/j.actamat.2025.121033 ↗
6. 10.1039/D5TA00892A10.1039/D5TA00892A ↗
7. 10.1088/0034-4885/68/6/R0410.1088/0034-4885/68/6/R04 ↗
8. 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2017.10.00510.1016/j.pmatsci.2017.10.005 ↗
9. 10.1038/s41563-018-0166-610.1038/s41563-018-0166-6 ↗
10. 10.1103/PhysRevB.65.01441010.1103/PhysRevB.65.014410 ↗
11. 10.1063/1.137583610.1063/1.1375836 ↗
12. 10.1063/1.492705810.1063/1.4927058 ↗
13. 10.1063/1.496138210.1063/1.4961382 ↗
14. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.25570310.1103/PhysRevLett.122.255703 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.actamat.2020.02.04510.1016/j.actamat.2020.02.045 ↗
16. 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.05.00410.1016/j.actamat.2019.05.004 ↗
17. 10.1016/j.actamat.2024.12046010.1016/j.actamat.2024.120460 ↗
18. 10.1016/j.actamat.2024.12002010.1016/j.actamat.2024.120020 ↗
19. 10.1016/j.actamat.2025.12154110.1016/j.actamat.2025.121541 ↗
20. 10.1002/aenm.20190132210.1002/aenm.201901322 ↗
21. 10.1038/415150a10.1038/415150a ↗
22. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.02.04410.1016/j.nanoen.2019.02.044 ↗
23. 10.1016/j.actamat.2020.03.02810.1016/j.actamat.2020.03.028 ↗
24. 10.1098/rsta.2015.030810.1098/rsta.2015.0308 ↗
25. 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.11414110.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.114141 ↗
26. 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.11739010.1016/j.actamat.2021.117390 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.17076810.1016/j.jallcom.2023.170768 ↗
28. 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.11715710.1016/j.actamat.2021.117157 ↗
29. 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.04.00510.1016/j.actamat.2017.04.005 ↗
30. 10.1021/acsami.1c2331310.1021/acsami.1c23313 ↗
31. 10.1016/j.actamat.2023.11959510.1016/j.actamat.2023.119595 ↗
32. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.07.06310.1016/j.jallcom.2018.07.063 ↗
33. 10.1063/1.290462510.1063/1.2904625 ↗
34. 10.1088/0022-3727/40/7/00510.1088/0022-3727/40/7/005 ↗
35. 10.1016/j.jmmm.2014.05.02110.1016/j.jmmm.2014.05.021 ↗
36. 10.1063/1.359039810.1063/1.3590398 ↗
37. 10.1088/0022-3727/43/20/20500210.1088/0022-3727/43/20/205002 ↗
38. Giant Entropy Change at the Co‐Occurrence of Structural and Magnetic Transitions in the Ni2.19Mn0.81Ga Heusler Alloy
39. Large Low‐Field Inverse Magnetocaloric Effect near Room Temperature in Ni50−xMn37+xIn13 Heusler Alloys10.1007/s00339-009-5517-3 ↗
40. 10.1016/j.intermet.2019.10647210.1016/j.intermet.2019.106472 ↗
41. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.08.24010.1016/j.jallcom.2016.08.240 ↗
42. 10.1016/j.actamat.2023.11876810.1016/j.actamat.2023.118768 ↗
43. 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.2.10440810.1103/PhysRevMaterials.2.104408 ↗
44. 10.1039/C8NR10209K10.1039/C8NR10209K ↗
45. 10.1016/j.msea.2003.11.07810.1016/j.msea.2003.11.078 ↗
46. 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.05.05010.1016/j.actamat.2017.05.050 ↗
47. 10.1002/adfm.20160673510.1002/adfm.201606735 ↗
48. 10.1088/1361-648X/ad7cb310.1088/1361-648X/ad7cb3 ↗
49. 10.1088/1361-665X/aad5f710.1088/1361-665X/aad5f7 ↗
50. 10.1016/j.matchar.2019.10995610.1016/j.matchar.2019.109956 ↗