Ferroelasticity

Ferroelasticity is a property of some materials that allows them to change shape under an applied mechanical stress and then return to their original shape when the stress is removed. This behavior occurs because these materials have a specific internal structure that can switch between different configurations, called variants. When outside force is applied, the structure reorients, causing a shape change. Once the force is released, the structure can revert, restoring the original shape. This reversible transformation makes ferroelastic materials useful in sensors, actuators, and memory devices.