Thermomagnetic behavior of an as-quenched Cu-Al-Mn-Gd alloy

The thermomagnetic behavior of the as-quenched Cu-9wt%Al-10 wt%Mn-3wt%Gd alloy was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical microscopy, magnetization measurements with temperature and applied field. The results obtained showed that in the Cu-9wt%Al alloy the α, γ1 and α2 phases are produced from martensitic β′ phase decomposition while in the Cu-9wt%Al-3wt%Gd alloy the higher fraction of produced γ1 phase is not formed from martensite decomposition. In the Cu-9wt%Al-10 wt%Mn and Cu-9wt%Al-10 wt%Mn-3wt%Gd alloys the ferromagnetic Cu2AlMn phase formation is dependent on the cooling rate and the martensitic transition seems to be changed by the presence of Gd.