Localized Plastic Strain Accumulation in Shape Memory Ceramics Under Cyclic Loading

The premature failure of shape memory ceramics (SMCs) under cyclic loading is a critical issue limiting their applications as actuators and thermal protection layers. Martensitic phase transformation (MPT), essential for superelasticity and shape memory functionalities in SMCs, induces localized plastic deformations due to phase expansion. In polycrystalline materials, the accumulation of localized plastic strain serves as the primary mechanism for fatigue crack initiation under cyclic loading. In this research, a phase-field phase transformation model coupled with a viscoplasticity model is presented to study the effects of microstructural features, engineered pores, and sample size on plastic strain accumulation (PSA) during cyclic loading of SMCs. Our findings highlight that the GBs are critical regions with high PSA, with noticeable reductions observed by decreasing the grain boundary density. Additionally, we found that engineered pores effectively reduced cyclic PSA, however, we identified a threshold on the volume fraction of pores. Also, textured microstructures with certain characteristics demonstrate significant influence on cyclic PSA. A cross-correlation data analysis approach is employed to study the relationship between the studied microstructural features and PSA to facilitate the identification of the most important factors controlling the irreversible PSA during compressive cyclic loading. By mitigating the rate of PSA, significant enhancements in cyclic life before fatigue crack initiation can be achieved, enabling superior performance in practical applications.