Our research mainly focuses on the understanding and tailoring the thermal and mechanical properties of phase-transforming metals by using mathematics. We derived a set of kinematic compatibility conditions for the transformation stretch tensor, and implemented an algorithmic approach to compute them from the lattice parameters of real materials. When these conditions are satisfied by special lattice parameters, the different phases of various symmetries can fit together perfectly at micro to nano scales, thus the material exhibits tremendous reversibility upon million times phase transformations. These mathematical conditions underlie a theory-driven material design strategy for novel metals with ultra-low thermal hysteresis and ultra-high transformability.
Low hysteresis and high transformability of phase-changing metals
CHEN Xian PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR