Shape memory effect and superelasticity in a strain glass alloy.

The shape memory effect and superelasticity are usually found in alloys exhibiting spontaneous martensitic transformation. Thus it is hard to imagine that such interesting effects can appear in a system without a martensitic transformation. In this Letter we show shape memory and the superelasticity effect in a nonmartensitic Ti48.5Ni51.5 alloy, which has no martensitic transformation but undergoes a "strain glass" transition. In situ x-ray diffraction experiment showed that the shape memory and superelasticity in strain glass stem from a stress-induced strain glass to martensite transformation and its reverse transformation. The new shape memory and superelasticity in strain glass extends the regime of the shape memory effect and superelasticity and may lead to novel applications.