How the allotropic transition temperature of solids can change with the heating rate

Abstract

Though classical thermodynamics predict a single temperature for the allotropic phase transition, the phase transition temperature is often seen to change with the heating rate. Herein we propose a simple method to predict the change in the phase transition temperature as a function of the heating rate. The method is based on the comparison of entropy production between two paths, with or without a phase transition. This method was applied to the zircaloy α-β phase transition and the resulting experimental data were processed to determine the molar transformation rate as a function of temperature.