Residual thermal strain of metals in heating-cooling cycles

Abstract

Metallic samples subjected to heating-cooling cycles undergo a permanent change in their length. The difference between the initial length and the length at the end of the cycle (residual strain) depends on the maximum temperature attained during the cycle. This dependence of residual strain on the maximum temperature of the cycle is similar for all of the examined metals (polycrystalline copper, aluminium, iron, gold, lead and single-crystal copper). Upon further increasing this temperature, the metal residual strain changes from positive to negative values. The temperature at which the maximum positive residual strain occurs is characteristic for each metal. The value of the residual strain and the temperature at which it changes its sign depend on the previous thermal history of the metal.