Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni51.9Ti48.1 Alloy

Xiang, Zheng; Yang, Qin; Zhang, Shengwang; Zhang, Tianhao; Xia, Zhihui; Huang, Ming; Chen, Jie; Huang, Shuke

doi:10.3390/met15111180

This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.

Open AccessArticle

Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy

by

Zheng Xiang

^†,

Qin Yang

^†,

Shengwang Zhang

,

Tianhao Zhang

,

Zhihui Xia

^*,

Ming Huang

^*,

Jie Chen

and

Shuke Huang

Institute of Machinery Manufacturing Technology, CAEP, Mianyang 621000, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Metals 2025, 15(11), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111180 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 18 September 2025 / Revised: 16 October 2025 / Accepted: 23 October 2025 / Published: 24 October 2025

Download Versions Notes

Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology offers an effective approach for fabricating high-performance superelastic NiTi alloys. This study achieved Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 alloys with outstanding superelastic properties through a triple optimization design of the initial powder composition, printing process parameters, and post-processing. The phase transformation behavior and microstructure of the alloys were systematically investigated. The results indicate that as energy density increases, the size and quantity of pore defects in LPBF-fabricated Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 alloys increase, phase transformation temperatures rise, and hardness conversely decreases. Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 alloys produced at lower energy densities exhibit fewer dislocations. After annealing at 600 °C, Ni₄Ti₃ and R phases form internally, resulting in a maximum superelasticity of 6.64%. Conversely, Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 alloys produced at higher energy densities exhibited a large number of dislocations and formed subgrains after annealing at 600 °C. Additionally, due to the high void volume fraction, they demonstrated deteriorated superelasticity.

Keywords: LPBF; NiTi SMA; process parameters; annealing; superelasticity

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Xiang, Z.; Yang, Q.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, T.; Xia, Z.; Huang, M.; Chen, J.; Huang, S. Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy. Metals 2025, 15, 1180. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111180

AMA Style

Xiang Z, Yang Q, Zhang S, Zhang T, Xia Z, Huang M, Chen J, Huang S. Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy. Metals. 2025; 15(11):1180. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111180

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xiang, Zheng, Qin Yang, Shengwang Zhang, Tianhao Zhang, Zhihui Xia, Ming Huang, Jie Chen, and Shuke Huang. 2025. "Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy" Metals 15, no. 11: 1180. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111180

APA Style

Xiang, Z., Yang, Q., Zhang, S., Zhang, T., Xia, Z., Huang, M., Chen, J., & Huang, S. (2025). Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy. Metals, 15(11), 1180. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111180

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Menu

Influence of LPBF Parameters and Post-Annealing Temperature on Martensitic Transformation and Superelasticity of Ni-Rich Ni_51.9Ti_48.1 Alloy

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Article Access Statistics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI