Crystal structure and crystallographic characteristics of martensite in Ni₅₀Mn₃₈Sb₁₂ alloys

For Ni–Mn–Sb ferromagnetic multifunctional alloys, the crystal structures of martensite variants and the orientation relationships between them are decisive factors for their magnetic field-induced behaviours and are hence of importance. Such information has rarely been reported in the literature. In the present work, the crystal structure, microstructure and orientation relationships of Ni–Mn–Sb martensite were thoroughly investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Through XRD analyses, the crystal structure of the martensite, including the crystal system, the space group, the lattice parameters and the atomic coordinates, was fully resolved. The structure is orthorhombic and can be represented with a 4O superstructure. EBSD analyses show that the Ni–Mn–Sb martensite has a lamellar form. One martensite lamella corresponds to one orientation variant. The lamellae are organized in long plate-shaped colonies. Within each colony, four distinct orientation variants (A, B, C and D) appear repeatedly and extend in roughly the same direction. The four variants are twin related to one another, with variants A and C (or variants B and D) forming a type I twin, variants A and B (or C and D) a type II twin, and variants A and D (or B and C) a compound twin. The complete twinning elements for each twin relation were thus fully determined. The interfaces between the variants were identified to be their corresponding twinning planes. All these results provide fundamental information for Ni–Mn–Sb alloys that is useful for interpreting their magnetic and mechanical characteristics.

Computing details

(I)

Crystal data

Mn1.52Ni2Sb0.48	V = 210.53 Å^3
Orthorhombic, Pmma	Z = 4
a = 8.5788 Å	Riga Ku SmartLab radiation, λ = 1.540598 Å
b = 5.6443 Å	T = 293 K
c = 4.3479 Å	black

Data collection

Radiation source: 9 KW rotating anode	Scan method: step
Graphite monochromater	2θmin = 20°, 2θmax = 120°, 2θstep = 0.02°
Data collection mode: reflection

Refinement

Rp = 0.094	0 restraints
Rwp = 0.133	6 constraints
Rexp = 0.056	Weighting scheme based on measured s.u.'s
R(F) = 0.097	(Δ/σ)max = 11.618
5001 data points	Background function: 4 Legendre polynoms
Profile function: Pseudo-Voigt	Preferred orientation correction: none
27 parameters

Fractional atomic coordinates and isotropic or equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (Ų)

	x	y	z	Uiso*/Ueq	Occ. (<1)
Ni1	0	0.7547	0.5	1	Uiso
Ni2	0.25	0.2483	0.0731	1	Uiso
Mn1	0	0	0	1	Uiso
Mn2	0.25	0.5	0.5731	1	Uiso
Sb1	0	0.5	0	0.48	Uiso
Sb2	0.25	0	0.5731	0.48	Uiso
Mn3	0	0.5	0	0.52	Uiso
Mn4	0.25	0	0.5731	0.52	Uiso

Atomic displacement parameters (Ų)

	U^11	U^22	U^33	U^12	U^13	U^23
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