Abstract
Variation in oxidation behavior with heat treatment temperature is investigated for a Ni-Ti alloy using X-ray diffraction, DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) and Auger electron spectroscopy. And the effect of oxidation on transformation behavior and superelasticity is characterized. A cold-worked 50.6Ni-Ti alloy is oxidized at 300-$700^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr in the air atmosphere. With an increase in heating temperature, the structure of $TiO_2$ changes from amorphous (300 and $400^{\circ}C$) to anatase ($500^{\circ}C$), and to rutile ($700^{\circ}C$). Activation energy of oxidation for NiTi is measured to be 51 Kcal/mol when heating temperature is $500^{\circ}C$ or above. Since Ti reacts preferably with oxygen, Ni content increases between matrix and oxide, forming $Ni_{3}Ti$ compounds. The resultant of oxidation decreases significantly $M_s$ and $A_s$ temperature in the specimen oxidized at $900^{\circ}C$ with $B_2{\rightarrow}M$ transformation path. An extra is found on cooling between two peaks in the specimen with $B_2{\rightarrow}R{\rightarrow}M$ one which is oxidized at $900^{\circ}C$ and aged at $500^{\circ}C$. Oxidation deteriorates superelasticity due to formation of Ni-rich compound.
