Lowering the crystallization temperature of thin-film shape memory effect TiNi by cold-working for smart materials fabrication

Amorphous material was cut into small strips and either directly annealed or cold-worked by rolling prior to annealing. Undeformed and unannealed material was analysed by a Phillips X-ray diffractometer. Results obtained are discussed. It was found that cold working lowers the crystallization temperature for amorphous, free-standing TiNi by about 100 deg C. This makes it potentially integratable with certain polymeric materials. If lower temperature nucleation is initiated by cold-working then lower temperature may be successful in producing thin film TiNi on reactive low temperature substrate. This is due to increase in lattice defects.