High Pressure Effects on the Martensitic Transformations

The results of high hydrostatic pressure studies of martensitic transformations in alloys with special emphasis to shape memory alloys (SMA) are reviewed. Experimentally detected positive and negative signs of MS temperature pressure shift and phase p-T diagrams are discussed. High pressure induced shape memory effect and baroelasticity are considered to be the essential phenomena illustrating the importance of pressure as a thermodynamic variable. Some estimations of high pressure influence on MS temperature in framework of phenomenological Landau theory are made.