Influence of Ni/Mn concentration ratio on microstructure and martensitic transformation in melt spun Ni–Mn–Sn Heusler alloy ribbons

•Heterogeneous microstructure was obtained in Ni–Mn–Sn Heusler melt spun ribbons.•Increase of Ni/Mn ratio changes a structure from one into two phase.•Modulated martensites were formed in ribbons with highest Ni/Mn ratio.•Grain boundaries of austenite were preferential for nucleation of martensite.•Increasing of Ni/Mn ratio causes increase of martensite transformation temperature. The paper describes the effect of Ni/Mn concentration ratio on microstructure and martensitic transformation in melt spun Ni50−xMn37+xSn12.5 Heusler alloy ribbons in the composition range between 0⩽x⩽6. The four alloys with the linear change of Ni/Mn ratio and constant Sn content were induction melted, homogenized and subsequently rapidly solidified on a rotating copper wheel. The ribbons featured a single or a two phase structure composed of the L21 parent phase and the martensite phase. The type of martensite differed depending on the composition. The increase of the martensite start (Ms) temperature with the increase of the Ni/Mn ratio, corresponds to the increase of the valence electron concentration ratio (e/a). The cellular type microstructure composed of grains featuring the L21 Heusler structure and martensite grains appearing at grain boundaries were confirmed in all the studied ribbons. The slight changes of the chemical composition of the parent and martensite phases were noticed. Such segregation was introduced by rapid quenching in response to different melting points of each element. This then had an effect on the local changes in the e/a ratio, effectively leading to nucleation of martensitic transformation in the affected areas. The 10M and 4O type modulated martensites were indentified depending on the alloy composition.