Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
In atomistic simulations of B2 NiAl usirn Molecular Dynamics and Emxbedded Atom Method Ni-Al potentials, both thermally induoed and stress induced crent martensitic nucleation and growth processes of a tetragonal Llo phase have been observed, including the formation of self-accommodating martensite variants. Nucleation is found to occur only at special heterogeneous sites that can be well characterised. Prior to nucleation, clear evidence of the buildup of large amplitude localized soft modes can be seen. A discussion of the kinetics of these processes is presented.