Direct observation of nonlinear acoustoelastic hysteresis in kinking nonlinear elastic solids

Abstract

Herein we report on direct experimental observation of nonlinear hysteretic ultrasonic wave transmission through the kinking nonlinear elastic solids Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 under bias-stress loading. We observed two characteristic regimes; up to strain ≈2×10−4, the ultrasound attenuation increased strongly and linearly with strain. At higher strains, the attenuation was fully reversible and hysteretic as the compressive stresses were cycled. This hysteretic behavior was attributed to interaction of the acoustic waves with dislocations in the incipient kink bands, the micromechanism believed to be responsible for the concomitant hysteretic stress-strain loops. The relevance of these findings to possible sensor applications is briefly discussed.