Listening to a phase transition: Acoustic probing of the martensitic transition

We propose a novel educational experimental path to explore the austenite-to-martensite phase transition in a NiTiCu alloy. By analyzing the sound produced when striking a NiTiCu bar across the transition temperature, we quantitatively probe the material mechanical properties and phase coexistence. This accessible experiment combines acoustic analysis with fundamental concepts in materials science, providing an engaging way to approach phase transitions in undergraduate curricula.