Fomenko L. Influence of structural rearrangements on low-temperature plasticity of new crystalline materials: superelastic alloys, metal-oxide HTSC's, and fullerites

The object is the connection of mechanical properties of crystals with changes of their atomic, crystalline and electronic structure. The aims to elucidate the physical mechanisms determining the influece of phase transformations and structural rearrangements on the mechanical properties of complex crystalline materials. The methods are mechanical measurements. The new approach lies in the detection and studies the anomalies of plastic flow in some new crystalline materials with complicated lattice, electronic and impurity structure. The physical interpretation of the anomalies is given. It is established their connection with the changes of atomic, crystalline and electronic structure taking place in studied materials as the composition changes or under the influence of external factors: temperature, mechanical stress, magnetic field. It is concluded that the ordering processes exert the most profound effect on low-temperature plasticity of the crystals. It is revealed experimentally and described the deformation properties of a new class of alloys, superelastic behavior of which is caused by pseudotwinning. Employment lies in fundamental science, novel devices.