MICROSTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN STEP-WISE THERMALLY STIMULATED MARTENSITIC TRANSFORMATIONS

The "Step-wise stimulated Martensite to Austenite Reversible Transformation" (SMART) in NiTi alloys is here examined by means of X ray diffraction spectra detected: 1) before the procedure required to activate SMART; 2) after each step of the procedure; 3) after SMART. Results obtained prove that some specific reflections are affected by the procedure, notably the ones which correspond to the orientations apt to store the highest transformation strains