PART V - Communications - Observations of Martensite in Ternary Cu-Zn Based Beta-Phase Alloys

THE martensitic transformation occurring at cryogenic temperatures in the bcc ß-phase Cu-Zn binary alloys has been discussed in a number of publication~.1-3 Addition of a second solute element to the binary Cu-Zn alloys enables the ternary martensitic phase to be stable at temperatures above room temperature, and the variation of the MS temperature with third element content has been determined recently4 for a series of Cu-Zn based alloys in which either the zinc content or the electron concentration was maintained at a constant value. The present paper describes some characteristic growth features of martensite observed in ternary alloys. Alloys were prepared by adding small amounts of Ni, Ag, Au, Cd, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, or Sb to a a -brass Cu-Zn master alloy. Details of the melting and casting technique, homogenization, examination by cold-stage microscopy, and the determination of the