Energy transformations in the course of low-temperature discontinuous yield of metals

For a series of steels and alloys, we have studied energy transformations and thermal effects arising in the course of low-temperature discontinuous yield using the results of tensile tests of specimens at T = 4.2 K. Our calculations, carried out in the adiabatic approximation. demonstrate that the transformation of the work of deformation into heat leads to a very significant heating of the yield zone, the upper bounds of which reach 70-190 K for various materials. We show that the coefficient of energy transformation grows in the course of deformation and is a function of strain, which is represented in analytical form. We have established that the degree of heating correlates with the ultimate strength of the material and have proposed the corresponding empirical relation. We have also evaluated the level of abrupt deformations and inertial effects.