It was recalled that martensitic single interface transformations, induced by temperature or applied stresses in a high-resolution apparatus, exhibited an intrinsic thermoelasticity or pseudoelasticity. These phenomena arose from interaction of the growing martensite with pre-existing dislocations in the parent phase. The intrinsic thermoelasticity had a marked effect upon the hysteretic behavior of the transformation, because it prevented the growth of an unique martensite plate. A further increase in the thermodynamic driving force favored the nucleation of new plates. A simulation of the hysteresis loops, when several plates were present, could be performed in a more realistic way by considering the various microscopic physical events which took place during transformation: nucleation of the phases, interaction with dislocations and stacking faults, hysteresis of each plate, and interaction between the plates. Interaction of the martensitic transformation with small precipitates also produced a large effect upon the hysteretic behavior. The hysteresis became larger, but decreased gradually with transformation cycling. This behavior could be explained by considering the mechanisms of plastic accommodation of the precipitate in the martensite.

F.C.Lovey, V.Torra: Journal de Physique III, 1995, 5[C2], 235-44