Deformation induced martensite transformation in chemically heterogeneous austenite

A 3D molecular dynamics study

Journal Article (2026)
Author(s)

Jun Chai (Tsinghua University, State Key Laboratory of Metallic Materials for Marine Equipment and Applications)

Shichun Liu (Tsinghua University)

Haokai Dong (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Junsheng Wang (State Key Laboratory of Metallic Materials for Marine Equipment and Applications)

Zhigang Yang (Tsinghua University)

Sybrand van der Zwaag (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University)

Hao Chen (Tohoku University, Tsinghua University)

Research Group
Group Garcia Espallargas
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2025.121660 Final published version
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Publication Year
2026
Language
English
Research Group
Group Garcia Espallargas
Bibliographical Note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository as part of the Taverne amendment. More information about this copyright law amendment can be found at https://www.openaccess.nl. Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Journal title
Acta Materialia
Volume number
302
Article number
121660
Downloads counter
93
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Abstract

This study employs 3D molecular dynamics simulations to investigate deformation-induced martensitic transformation (DIMT) in both chemically homogeneous and heterogeneous austenite grains, with particular emphasis on the distinctive role of chemical boundaries. Our findings reveal three fundamental differences between chemical boundaries and conventional interfaces: (i) they do not serve as nucleation sites for martensite formation, (ii) they effectively arrest propagating martensite, yet (iii) they exhibit negligible influence on stacking fault transmission. In the Fe-Ni model system, we demonstrate that DIMT behavior in compositionally graded core-shell austenite grains is predominantly governed by local Ni concentration, where increased Ni content significantly enhances phase stability. These insights demonstrate that precisely engineered chemical heterogeneities offer an effective pathway for controlling DIMT behavior, providing a novel paradigm for designing next-generation steels containing retained austenite with tunable mechanical properties.

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