Relating field-induced shift in transition temperature to the kinetics of coexisting phases in magnetic shape memory alloys

TL;DR

This study investigates how magnetic fields influence phase transition temperatures and kinetics in magnetic shape memory alloys, revealing new insights into phase dynamics and interrelationships across length-scales.

Contribution

It demonstrates a method to significantly increase transition temperature shifts and links these effects to phase kinetics and dynamics, providing a new understanding of multicomponent systems.

Findings

Higher shift in transition temperature with magnetic field

Field-induced arrest of phase transition kinetics

Relation between phase dynamics and length-scale interactions

Abstract

In a magnetic shape memory alloy system, we vary composition following phenomenological arguments to tune macroscopic properties. We achieve significantly higher shift in austenite to martensitic phase transition temperature with magnetic field. This enhancement is accompanied by significant broadening of the transition and by field-induced arrest of kinetics, both of which are related to the dynamics of the coexisting phases. This reveals hitherto unknown interrelationship between different length-scales. This may serve as an effective route for comprehensive understanding of similar multicomponent systems which show considerable variation in physical properties by minor change in microscopic parameters.