Functionally graded structures realized based on Fe–Mn–Al–Ni shape memory alloys

In the present study a novel approach to obtain functionally graded properties in an Fe–Mn–Al–Ni shape memory alloy is introduced. A single crystalline sample showing superelastic properties was aged in a partially martensitic state. As a result, the area aged in austenite is characterized by a changed superelastic hysteresis with different critical stresses for forward and backward transformation, whereas the properties in the area aged in...