Acoustic emission and energy dissipation during front propagation in a stress-driven martensitic transition

Abstract

In the present paper, by using a specially designed experiment, we analyze the relationship between the acoustic emission and the deformation resulting from front propagation during a stress-induced transition from cubic to a single-variant martensite in a Cu-Zn-Al single crystal. The front propagates by nucleation and growing needle domains parallel to the parent martensitic interface. A good correlation between the acoustic emission activity and front velocity is obtained. By using a phenomenological model, we discuss the relation between such acoustic activity and the dissipated energy during the process. Results suggest that the acoustic emission has its origin in the interaction of needle domains and dislocations.