Phys.org November 17, 2021
An international team of researchers (USA – University of Minnesota, Germany) discovered that the systematic tuning of crystal lattice parameters to achieve improved kinematic compatibility between different phases is a broadly effective strategy for improving the reversibility, and lowering the hysteresis, of solid–solid phase transformations. They showed that when cooling the kinematically compatible ceramic (Zr/Hf)O2(YNb)O4 through its tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation, the polycrystal slowly and steadily falls apart at its grain boundaries or even explosively disintegrates. However, when they tuned the lattice parameters to satisfy a stronger ‘equidistance’ condition, the resulting material exhibits reversible behaviour with low hysteresis. These results show that a diversity of behaviours—from reversible at one extreme to explosive at the other—is possible in a chemically homogeneous ceramic system by manipulating conditions of compatibility in unexpected ways. This discovery could improve everything from medical devices to electronics…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Frame sequences of martensitic transformation. Credit: Nature volume 599, pages416–420 (2021)