Ni-Mn-Ga alloys close to the stoichiometric composition Ni2MnGa belong to the quite new family of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys. These alloys are characterized by the magnetic field induced strain (MFIS) based on the comparably easy motion of twin boundaries under a magnetic field. They are mostly chosen as a potential candidate for practical application especially promising for actuators and sensors because they are showing the largest MFIS so far. Depending on the chemical composition and heat treatment, at least three martensitic structures can be distinguished in the Ni-Mn-Ga system. However, the effect mentioned above only exists in two modulated structures. Since for the intended application of MFIS in technology polycrystalline materials seem to be more appropriate in contrast to single crystals, the specific polycrystalline aspects are considered. Factors important for decreasing the twinning stress and increasing the twinning strain of polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga alloys are texturing, adjusting the structure by annealing and training by thermomechanical treatments. To achieve pronounced MFIS in polycrystals, fabrication processes are needed to produce specific strong textures. The material texturing has been obtained by directional solidification and plastic deformation by hot rolling and hot extrusion as well as high pressure torsion (HPT). To examine the texture of coarse-grained Ni-Mn-Ga alloys (due to a solidification process or dynamic recrystallization), diffraction of synchrotron radiation and neutrons was applied. The texture results show that the texture of Ni-Mn-Ga subjected to directional solidification, hot rolling and hot extrusion is a fibre or weak biaxial texture. However, local synchrotron measurements reveal that the global fibre texture of the hot extruded sample is a ”cyclic” fibre texture, i.e. it is composed of components related to the radial direction rotating around the extrusion axis. This allows finding regions with a strong texture component. The texture after HPT is characterized by a strong cube with the cube favourably oriented. The initial microstructure of the Ni-Mn-Ga alloys is a typical self-accommodated microstructure of martensite. High resolution EBSD mappings show macro, micro twins and two types of microstructure. The twin plane is determined to be {110). In a typical martensitic transformation the high-temperature phase has a higher crystallographic symmetry than the low-temperature phase. Consequently, austenite may transform to several martensitic variants, the number of which depends on the change of symmetry during transformation. Generally, in a cubic-to-tetragonal transformation (5M case) three variants can form with the c-axis oriented close to the three main cubic axes of austenite. However, close examination of the high resolution EBSD mapping reveals that more than just three orientations, as expected from the Bain model, exist in Ni50Mn29Ga21. Each of three Bain variants may be split in some twin relations in different regions of the sample which differ from each other by about few degrees creating a much higher number of variants. The training process, as the last step in the preparation procedure of Ni-Mn-Ga alloys, consists of multi-axis compression finally leading to a single-variant state. Compression of polycrystalline samples leads to motion of those twin boundaries changing the volume fraction of particular martensitic variants in such a way that the shortest axis (c-axis) becomes preferentially aligned parallel to the compression axis. It allows reducing the twinning stress and maximizing the twinning strain. To understand the training process in more detail, the interaction of the twin variants with the neighbourhood of parent austenite grains was investigated.

Ni-Mn-Ga alloys close to the stoichiometric composition Ni2MnGa belong to the quite new family of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys. These alloys are characterized by the magnetic field induced strain (MFIS) based on the comparably easy motion of twin boundaries under a magnetic field. They are mostly chosen as a potential candidate for practical application especially promising for actuators and sensors because they are showing the largest MFIS so far. Depending on the chemical composition and heat treatment, at least three martensitic structures can be distinguished in the Ni-Mn-Ga system. However, the effect mentioned above only exists in two modulated structures. Since for the intended application of MFIS in technology polycrystalline materials seem to be more appropriate in contrast to single crystals, the specific polycrystalline aspects are considered. Factors important for decreasing the twinning stress and increasing the twinning strain of polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga alloys are texturing, adjusting the structure by annealing and training by thermomechanical treatments. To achieve pronounced MFIS in polycrystals, fabrication processes are needed to produce specific strong textures. The material texturing has been obtained by directional solidification and plastic deformation by hot rolling and hot extrusion as well as high pressure torsion (HPT). To examine the texture of coarse-grained Ni-Mn-Ga alloys (due to a solidification process or dynamic recrystallization), diffraction of synchrotron radiation and neutrons was applied. The texture results show that the texture of Ni-Mn-Ga subjected to directional solidification, hot rolling and hot extrusion is a fibre or weak biaxial texture. However, local synchrotron measurements reveal that the global fibre texture of the hot extruded sample is a ”cyclic” fibre texture, i.e. it is composed of components related to the radial direction rotating around the extrusion axis. This allows finding regions with a strong texture component. The texture after HPT is characterized by a strong cube with the cube favourably oriented. The initial microstructure of the Ni-Mn-Ga alloys is a typical self-accommodated microstructure of martensite. High resolution EBSD mappings show macro, micro twins and two types of microstructure. The twin plane is determined to be {110). In a typical martensitic transformation the high-temperature phase has a higher crystallographic symmetry than the low-temperature phase. Consequently, austenite may transform to several martensitic variants, the number of which depends on the change of symmetry during transformation. Generally, in a cubic-to-tetragonal transformation (5M case) three variants can form with the c-axis oriented close to the three main cubic axes of austenite. However, close examination of the high resolution EBSD mapping reveals that more than just three orientations, as expected from the Bain model, exist in Ni50Mn29Ga21. Each of three Bain variants may be split in some twin relations in different regions of the sample which differ from each other by about few degrees creating a much higher number of variants. The training process, as the last step in the preparation procedure of Ni-Mn-Ga alloys, consists of multi-axis compression finally leading to a single-variant state. Compression of polycrystalline samples leads to motion of those twin boundaries changing the volume fraction of particular martensitic variants in such a way that the shortest axis (c-axis) becomes preferentially aligned parallel to the compression axis. It allows reducing the twinning stress and maximizing the twinning strain. To understand the training process in more detail, the interaction of the twin variants with the neighbourhood of parent austenite grains was investigated.

Die Elemente Al, Mg und Zn sind wichtige Komponenten für leichte und hochfeste Legierungen, wie die Al- oder Mg-Knetlegierungen. Darüber hinaus ist das Al-Mg-Zn-System sehr interessant, weil vier ternäre komplexe intermetallische Phasen, genannt τ1, τ2, Φ und q, darin vorkommen. Die aktuellen experimentellen Phasendiagramme des Al-Mg-Zn-Systems enthalten nur provisorische oder keine Homogenitätsbereiche der Φ-, τ2- und der q-Phase aufgrund unzureichender experimenteller Daten. Ziel der Arbeiten war es, die Homogenitätsbereiche der q-, τ2- und der Φ-Phase neu zu ermitteln und die Kristallstruktur der Φ-Phase zu bestimmen. Proben wurden durch Schmelzen und Wärmebehandlung in Ta-Ampullen oder durch Zentrifugieren aus der Schmelze hergestellt und durch XRD, SEM, EDXS, WDXS und DSC charakterisiert. Während der Neuuntersuchung der Al-Mg-Zn Phasengleichgewichte in der Nähe des Teilsystems Mg-Zn und nahe bei τ1 wurde eine Reihe von neuen ternären Phasen entdeckt. Die Kristallstrukturen für die Φ-Phase (Pbcm, a = 8,9374 (2) Å, b = 16,812 (3) Å, c = 19,586 (4) a) und drei der neuen intermetallischen Verbindungen wurden gelöst und die Kristallstruktur des τ2 Phase wurde erneut untersucht. Während τ2 (Pa-3, a = 23,034 (3) Å) ein Approximant der ikosaedrischen quasikristallinen Phase q ist, erwies sich eine der neuen Phasen (τd, Imm2, a = 5,2546 (2), b = 40,240 (2), c = 25,669 (1) Å) als dekagonaler Approximant. Überraschenderweise wurde eine Phase (Fd-3m, a = 27,5937 (9) Å) gefunden, die isotyp zu der binären Phase β-Al3Mg2 ist, aber eine Zn-reiche Zusammensetzung hat. / The elements Al, Mg and Zn are major components for a large number of light and high strength alloys, such as the Al-based alloys of the 7xxx series. In addition, the Al-Mg-Zn system has attracted much interest because four complex metallic alloy phases, called τ1, τ2, Φ and q are formed as ternary intermetallic compounds. The current experimental phase diagrams of the Al-Mg-Zn system contain only provisional or no homogeneity ranges of the Φ phase, τ2 phase and the q phase due to insufficient experimental data. The aim of the work was to redetermine the homogeneity ranges of the q, τ2 and the Φ phases and to determine the crystal structure of the Φ phase for a reliable data set. Samples were prepared by furnace-controlled melting and annealing in Ta ampoules or by centrifugation from the self-flux and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDXS, WDXS and DSC. While reinvestigating the Al-Mg-Zn phase equilibria in the vicinity of the subsystem Mg-Zn close to τ1, a number of new ternary phases were discovered. Single phase material could be obtained for the known Φ and τ2 phases and for four new intermetallic compounds. The crystal structures for the Φ phase and two of the new intermetallic compounds were solved and the crystal structure of the τ2 phase was reinvestigated. While τ2 (Pa-3, a = 23.034(3) Å) is an approximant of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase q, the Φ phase (Pbcm, a = 8.9374(2) Å, b = 16.812(3) Å, c = 19.586(4) Å) and one of the new phases (Imm2, a = 5.2546(2), b = 40.240(2), c = 25.669(1) Å) turned out to be decagonal approximants. Surprisingly, we have found one phase (Fd-3m, a = 27.5937 (9) Å) isotypic to the Samson’s phase β-Al3Mg2 at Zn rich composition.

Die Elemente Al, Mg und Zn sind wichtige Komponenten für leichte und hochfeste Legierungen, wie die Al- oder Mg-Knetlegierungen. Darüber hinaus ist das Al-Mg-Zn-System sehr interessant, weil vier ternäre komplexe intermetallische Phasen, genannt τ1, τ2, Φ und q, darin vorkommen. Die aktuellen experimentellen Phasendiagramme des Al-Mg-Zn-Systems enthalten nur provisorische oder keine Homogenitätsbereiche der Φ-, τ2- und der q-Phase aufgrund unzureichender experimenteller Daten. Ziel der Arbeiten war es, die Homogenitätsbereiche der q-, τ2- und der Φ-Phase neu zu ermitteln und die Kristallstruktur der Φ-Phase zu bestimmen. Proben wurden durch Schmelzen und Wärmebehandlung in Ta-Ampullen oder durch Zentrifugieren aus der Schmelze hergestellt und durch XRD, SEM, EDXS, WDXS und DSC charakterisiert. Während der Neuuntersuchung der Al-Mg-Zn Phasengleichgewichte in der Nähe des Teilsystems Mg-Zn und nahe bei τ1 wurde eine Reihe von neuen ternären Phasen entdeckt. Die Kristallstrukturen für die Φ-Phase (Pbcm, a = 8,9374 (2) Å, b = 16,812 (3) Å, c = 19,586 (4) a) und drei der neuen intermetallischen Verbindungen wurden gelöst und die Kristallstruktur des τ2 Phase wurde erneut untersucht. Während τ2 (Pa-3, a = 23,034 (3) Å) ein Approximant der ikosaedrischen quasikristallinen Phase q ist, erwies sich eine der neuen Phasen (τd, Imm2, a = 5,2546 (2), b = 40,240 (2), c = 25,669 (1) Å) als dekagonaler Approximant. Überraschenderweise wurde eine Phase (Fd-3m, a = 27,5937 (9) Å) gefunden, die isotyp zu der binären Phase β-Al3Mg2 ist, aber eine Zn-reiche Zusammensetzung hat.:1 Einleitung 1 2 Grundlagen 5 2.1 Frank-Kasper-Phasen und tetraedrisch dicht gepackte Strukturen 5 2.2 Parkettierungen, Quasikristalle and Approximanten 11 2.3 Phasendiagramme und Phasen des Al-Mg-Zn Systems 16 3 Experimentelle Methoden und Theoretische Berechnungen 24 3.1 Ausgangsstoffe 24 3.2 Präparation der Proben 24 3.2.1 Schmelzspinnen 25 3.2.2 Schmelzzentrifugation 26 3.2.3 Abkühlvarianten 26 3.3 Charakterisierung der Legierungen 27 3.3.1 Chemische Analysen 27 3.3.2 Metallografie, Röntgenspektroskopie, Elektronenbeugung 28 3.3.3 DSC- und Massendichtemessungen, Messungen des elektrischen Widerstands 29 3.3.4 Pulver-Röntgendiffraktion und Pulver-Neutronendiffraktion 29 3.3.5 Einkristall-Röntgendiffraktion 30 3.4 Theoretische Berechnungen 31 3.4.1 Berechnungen der elektronischen Struktur 31 3.4.2 Gesamtenergieberechnungen 31 3.4.3 Calphad-Berechnungen und DTA-Simulation 32 4 Ergebnisse 34 4.1 Die Phi-Phase 34 4.1.1 Phasenanalyse 35 4.1.2 Physikalische Eigenschaften 44 4.1.3 Kristallchemie 45 4.1.4 Ergebnisse der Gesamtenergieberechnungen, DOS 57 4.2 Die tau-2-Phase 59 4.2.1 Phasenanalyse 60 4.2.2 Strukturmodellierung mit kanonischen Zell-Parkettierungen 73 4.2.3 Strukturverfeinerung 77 4.2.4 Kristallchemie 83 4.2.5 Ergebnisse der Gesamtenergieberechnungen 88 4.3 Primäre Phasenfelder der Mg-reichen Seite des Al-Mg-Zn Systems und die q-Phase 93 4.3.1 Die quasikristalline Phase q und ihr komplex-reguläres Eutektikum 98 4.4 Neue komplexe intermetallische Verbindungen im Al-Mg-Zn System 106 4.4.1 Phasenanalytische Untersuchungen in der Nähe des binären Teilsystems Mg-Zn 106 4.4.2 Physikalische Eigenschaften 113 4.4.3 Kristallchemie 114 4.4.3.1 Die beta-Zn-Phase 114 4.4.3.2 Die tau-d-Phase, ein dekagonaler Approximant 125 4.4.3.3 Die lambda-Phase 134 5 Zusammenfassung 141 6 Literatur 149 A Anhang 159 A.1 Verfeinerung der Einkristall-Röntgenbeugungsdaten 159 A.2 Grundlagen der DTA-Simulation 160 A.2.1 DTA-Simulation in VBA für den Excel-Export von Pandat2012 161 A.3 Zusätzliche Information über die Phi-Phase des Al-Mg-Zn Systems 168 A.3.1 Informationen zu den effektiven Paarpotentialen für das ternäre Al-Mg-Zn System 172 A.4 Zusätzliche Informationen über die tau-2-Phase im Al-Mg-Zn System 175 A.5 Zusätzliche Informationen über die Abtastung der primären Phasenfelder 180 A.6 Zusätzliche Informationen über die beta-Zn-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 185 A.7 Zusätzliche Informationen über die tau-d-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 191 A.8 Zusätzliche Informationen über die lambda-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 195 / The elements Al, Mg and Zn are major components for a large number of light and high strength alloys, such as the Al-based alloys of the 7xxx series. In addition, the Al-Mg-Zn system has attracted much interest because four complex metallic alloy phases, called τ1, τ2, Φ and q are formed as ternary intermetallic compounds. The current experimental phase diagrams of the Al-Mg-Zn system contain only provisional or no homogeneity ranges of the Φ phase, τ2 phase and the q phase due to insufficient experimental data. The aim of the work was to redetermine the homogeneity ranges of the q, τ2 and the Φ phases and to determine the crystal structure of the Φ phase for a reliable data set. Samples were prepared by furnace-controlled melting and annealing in Ta ampoules or by centrifugation from the self-flux and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDXS, WDXS and DSC. While reinvestigating the Al-Mg-Zn phase equilibria in the vicinity of the subsystem Mg-Zn close to τ1, a number of new ternary phases were discovered. Single phase material could be obtained for the known Φ and τ2 phases and for four new intermetallic compounds. The crystal structures for the Φ phase and two of the new intermetallic compounds were solved and the crystal structure of the τ2 phase was reinvestigated. While τ2 (Pa-3, a = 23.034(3) Å) is an approximant of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase q, the Φ phase (Pbcm, a = 8.9374(2) Å, b = 16.812(3) Å, c = 19.586(4) Å) and one of the new phases (Imm2, a = 5.2546(2), b = 40.240(2), c = 25.669(1) Å) turned out to be decagonal approximants. Surprisingly, we have found one phase (Fd-3m, a = 27.5937 (9) Å) isotypic to the Samson’s phase β-Al3Mg2 at Zn rich composition.:1 Einleitung 1 2 Grundlagen 5 2.1 Frank-Kasper-Phasen und tetraedrisch dicht gepackte Strukturen 5 2.2 Parkettierungen, Quasikristalle and Approximanten 11 2.3 Phasendiagramme und Phasen des Al-Mg-Zn Systems 16 3 Experimentelle Methoden und Theoretische Berechnungen 24 3.1 Ausgangsstoffe 24 3.2 Präparation der Proben 24 3.2.1 Schmelzspinnen 25 3.2.2 Schmelzzentrifugation 26 3.2.3 Abkühlvarianten 26 3.3 Charakterisierung der Legierungen 27 3.3.1 Chemische Analysen 27 3.3.2 Metallografie, Röntgenspektroskopie, Elektronenbeugung 28 3.3.3 DSC- und Massendichtemessungen, Messungen des elektrischen Widerstands 29 3.3.4 Pulver-Röntgendiffraktion und Pulver-Neutronendiffraktion 29 3.3.5 Einkristall-Röntgendiffraktion 30 3.4 Theoretische Berechnungen 31 3.4.1 Berechnungen der elektronischen Struktur 31 3.4.2 Gesamtenergieberechnungen 31 3.4.3 Calphad-Berechnungen und DTA-Simulation 32 4 Ergebnisse 34 4.1 Die Phi-Phase 34 4.1.1 Phasenanalyse 35 4.1.2 Physikalische Eigenschaften 44 4.1.3 Kristallchemie 45 4.1.4 Ergebnisse der Gesamtenergieberechnungen, DOS 57 4.2 Die tau-2-Phase 59 4.2.1 Phasenanalyse 60 4.2.2 Strukturmodellierung mit kanonischen Zell-Parkettierungen 73 4.2.3 Strukturverfeinerung 77 4.2.4 Kristallchemie 83 4.2.5 Ergebnisse der Gesamtenergieberechnungen 88 4.3 Primäre Phasenfelder der Mg-reichen Seite des Al-Mg-Zn Systems und die q-Phase 93 4.3.1 Die quasikristalline Phase q und ihr komplex-reguläres Eutektikum 98 4.4 Neue komplexe intermetallische Verbindungen im Al-Mg-Zn System 106 4.4.1 Phasenanalytische Untersuchungen in der Nähe des binären Teilsystems Mg-Zn 106 4.4.2 Physikalische Eigenschaften 113 4.4.3 Kristallchemie 114 4.4.3.1 Die beta-Zn-Phase 114 4.4.3.2 Die tau-d-Phase, ein dekagonaler Approximant 125 4.4.3.3 Die lambda-Phase 134 5 Zusammenfassung 141 6 Literatur 149 A Anhang 159 A.1 Verfeinerung der Einkristall-Röntgenbeugungsdaten 159 A.2 Grundlagen der DTA-Simulation 160 A.2.1 DTA-Simulation in VBA für den Excel-Export von Pandat2012 161 A.3 Zusätzliche Information über die Phi-Phase des Al-Mg-Zn Systems 168 A.3.1 Informationen zu den effektiven Paarpotentialen für das ternäre Al-Mg-Zn System 172 A.4 Zusätzliche Informationen über die tau-2-Phase im Al-Mg-Zn System 175 A.5 Zusätzliche Informationen über die Abtastung der primären Phasenfelder 180 A.6 Zusätzliche Informationen über die beta-Zn-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 185 A.7 Zusätzliche Informationen über die tau-d-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 191 A.8 Zusätzliche Informationen über die lambda-Phase im System Al-Mg-Zn 195