The basic elementary particles as martensitic nucleous

The martensitic transformation is a diffusionless structural change that pr oduces an important modification of the microstructure and properties of ma terials. In this paper we propose how the martensitic phase is nucleated fr om a basic elementary particle (bep). The bep is formed in several stages. Vacancies, divacancies, trivacancies, etc, are formed at high temperature, which collapse into prismatic dislocation loops during the cooling process. We define a bep as a dislocation loop reaching a critical radius and fulfi ling certain elastic energy conditions. A martensitic nucleus is a bep that coincides crystallographically with the habit plane of the matrix.