1.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
2. Xi’an Rare Metal Materials Institute Co. Ltd., Xi’an, 710016, China
High-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs) have considerable potential for applications in automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and energy exploration, as they simplify the design and improve the operational efficiency of mechanical components. In practice, in addition to high phase transition temperatures, HTSMAs are required to have large recoverable strains, long-term stability, and resistance to plastic deformation and creep. However, as temperatures rise, these requirements become increasingly difficult to meet. In addition, the poor processability and high raw material costs associated with this class of alloys present a significant challenge to their industrialization. Nevertheless, compositional control, alloying, thermo-mechanical treatment, and the development of new preparation processes have led to some progress in the study of HTSMAs. Among the HTSMA systems studied so far, Ni-Ti-based, Cu-based, and Ni-Mn-Ga-based HTSMAs have the most potential. This paper provides a brief overview of the physical and thermo-mechanical properties, processing technologies, applications, and challenges of the three HTSMAs. It also summarizes the microstructures and mechanical properties of HTSMA materials prepared using different compositional designs, alloying, and thermo-mechanical treatments. Furthermore, the development prospects of machine learning in assisting the design of shape memory alloy compositions are also included. It also provides an overview of the current challenges and future development directions of HTSMA materials in various fields.