Quasi-equilibrium description of martensitic states

Conclusions

The quasi-equilibrium interpretation of martensitic states permits the classification of specific experimental situations and the elucidation of the thermodynamic content of simple experimental data, such as temperature hysteresis loops or hysteresis loops in superelastic conditions. The descriptive scheme here outlined also accommodates a series of special experiments [10, 11, 17, 19, 20]. Of course far from all experimental situations may be described at present, and the scheme requires further development. Note that, like any thermodynamic description, it does not give a detailed model explanation of the phenomena, cannot replace such an explanation, and is not intended to. However, it may serve as an effective intermediate stage between the experimental result and its physical explanation.