Oxide Dispersion, Microstructure, and Functional Evolution in La2O3 Modified Cu-Al-Mn-Fe Shape Memory Alloys

Cu-Al-Mn-Fe high-temperature shape memory alloys containing 0-1.0 wt.% La2O3 were fabricated by vacuum arc remelting to investigate oxide-dispersion effects on microstructure, martensitic transformation, wear, and corrosion behavior. XRD and SEM analyses revealed that low La2O3 additions (0.2-0.4 wt.%) promoted β1′ martensite refinement and enhanced crystallinity, while higher contents induced structural heterogeneity. The alloy with 0.4 wt.% La2O3 exhibited the highest transformation enthalpy (7.49 J g−1), reduced friction coefficient (~0.55), and the narrowest wear scar (~501 µm). Electrochemical tests in 3.5 wt.% NaCl showed a fivefold decrease in corrosion current density and increased charge-transfer resistance (2512 Ω cm2) for the same composition. Excessive La2O3 led to performance degradation due to particle agglomeration and interfacial defects. The results demonstrated that controlled La2O3 addition enabled microstructural refinement and multifunctional performance enhancement in Cu-based shape memory alloys.