Dynamics of ferroelastic domains in crystals and ceramics

What is a Ferroelastic?

Ferroelastic crystals are, in some respects, akin to the more familiar ferromagnetic and ferroelectric materials. Instead of spontaneous magnetisation or polarisation, these materials develop a spontaneous strain below a phase transition from paraelastic to ferroelastic. The transition is accompanied by critical behaviour of the elastic compliance (the effective susceptibility for the strain).

Ferroelastic materials are defined by having switchable domains, or twins, which may be switched on application of an external field: stress.

Such domain microstructures often result from phase transitions.