Recrystallization behavior of tungsten processed by equal channel angular extrusion at low homologues temperature: Microstructure,hardness, and texture

This work examines the recrystallization behavior of bulk pure tungsten subjected to severe plastic deformation by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion at low temperature. Grain size, morphology, and orientation are examined as a function of subsequent heat treatment temperature. Four temperature ranges are identified wherein the material undergoes recovery, boundary migration, recrystallization, and grain growth. A comparison between this material and warm-worked material is also made, illustrating the effects of stored energy on recovery and recrystallization. Experimentally determined Hall-Petch values agree with previous work. Finally, the plastic deformation behavior of worked and recovered materials are compared with bend test results showing that heat treatment can be used to lower strength while maintaining ductility in heavily deformed tungsten.     

The inverse Hall-Petch effect in nanocrystalline ZrN coatings

For the purpose of studying the inverse Hall-Petch effect in nanocrystalline hard coatings, nanocrystalline ZrN coatings have been fabricated using magnetron sputtering with grain sizes ranging from 45 nm to 10 nm by varying negative biases from 0 V to 150 V. The transition from the classical Hall-Petch effect to an inverse Hall-Petch effect in nanocrystalline ZrN coatings is observed at a grain size between 19.0 nm and 14.2 nm. The reality of the inverse Hall-Petch effect in the present study is validated by exclusion of other possible effects on hardness of nanocrystalline ZrN coatings, such as porosity, multiphase, chemical composition, texture, and residual stress. Furthermore, a concise model based on lattice dislocations piling up mechanism is proposed to illustrate the breakdown of the Hall-Petch effect and calculate the critical grain size. The predictions of the model fit well with experimental data in some nitride and carbide nanocrystalline coatings. Both experimental and theoretical results indicate that the inverse Hall-Petch effect is an essential property of nanocrystalline hard coatings as similar to nanocrystalline metals and alloys.     

Effect of iron alloying in evolution of nanostructure and microstructural stability in nickel

Nanocrystalline materials show many interesting properties such as high strength and hardness due to nanosized grains and high density of interfaces. In this context, the present work reports the effect of Fe (iron) addition in Ni (nickel) on nanostructure retention during the annealing of Ni-Fe alloy (with 0, 18.5, 28.5 and 43 wt% Fe) at 450 °C for 16 h. Furthermore, effect of annealing on the deformation mechanism was investigated. The integral breadth method revealed the decrease in grain size with increase in wt% Fe in Ni. The strain rate sensitivity exponent which is a signature of operating deformation mechanism showed a higher value (0.10803) in case of Ni-18.5 wt% Fe during nanoindentation. However, Ni-0 wt% Fe, Ni-28.5 wt% Fe and Ni-43 wt% Fe were characterized by a relatively low strain rate sensitivity exponent (between 0.02069 and 0.10803). Results indicated the presence of Hall-Petch relationship up to 18.5 wt% Fe and inverse Hall-Petch relationship above 18.5 wt% Fe.     

In situ TEM observation of grain annihilation in tricrystalline aluminum films

Capillarity-driven grain boundary (GB) motion in Al tricrystalline thin films has been investigated by in situ transmission electron microscopy at intermediate temperatures. The GBs were observed to move erratically, with alternating periods of motion and stagnation, followed by rapid shrinkage of the grain and eventual annihilation accompanied by the emission of dislocations. The absence of measured deformation and grain rotation during the GB motion suggests that it is not associated with shear-migration coupling. This is in contrast to observations on the stress-driven motion of planar GBs. The present results can be interpreted by the absence of deformation associated with low internal applied stress or alternatively by a low shear-migration coupling factor. In both cases, a large amount of atomic shuffling is needed to account for the migration of grain boundaries.     

Stress-enhanced grain growth in a nanocrystalline material by molecular-dynamics simulation

Molecular-dynamics simulations are used to elucidate the coupling between grain growth and grain-boundary diffusion creep in a polycrystal consisting of 25 grains with an average grain size of about 15 nm and a columnar grain shape. Consistent with our earlier simulations of grain-boundary diffusion creep, albeit in the absence of grain growth, we find that initially, i.e. prior to the onset of significant grain growth, the deformation proceeds via the mechanism of Coble creep. Also, consistent with our earlier grain-growth simulations in the absence of stress, two growth mechanisms are observed during the deformation: growth due to curvature-driven GB migration and growth resulting from grain rotation-induced grain coalescence. The comparison of the grain growth observed in the presence of the applied stress with that solely in response to temperature as the driving force enables us to identify the mechanisms by which external stress affects grain growth. In particular, we find that both GB migration and grain rotation are accelerated by the deformation.     

A New Model for Inverse Hall-Petch Relation of Nanocrystalline Materials

In the present article, a new model for inverse Hall-Petch relation in nanocrystalline materials has been proposed. It is assumed that lattice distortion along grain boundaries can cause internal stresses and high internal stresses along grain boundaries can promote the grain boundary yielding. The designed model was then verified using the nanocrystalline-copper data. The minimum grain size for inverse Hall-Petch relation is determined to be about 11 nm for Cu.     

多晶体材料的晶界强化模型研究

近几十年来,材料的细晶强化研究大量开展。在一般晶粒尺寸范围内,材料的强度随晶粒尺寸的变化是符合Hall-Petch关系的,但在纳米晶体材料中出现了偏离甚至反Hall-Petch关系的现象,因此Hall-Petch关系的使用具有一定的局限性。文章从塑性变形理论出发,建立了晶界强化数学模型,通过该模型,研究了晶粒大小、晶界厚度及晶界体积百分数、晶界能、弹性模量与多晶体材料强度的关系,发现除了晶粒大小及晶界厚度影响材料强度之外,弹性模量、晶界能越大,多晶体材料的强度越高。     

黄铜箔拉伸屈服强度的尺寸效应

为了研究金属箔的塑性变形性能与尺寸的相关性,在常温下对不同厚度和晶粒尺寸的黄铜箔试样进行了单向拉伸实验.结果表明:随着厚度或晶粒尺寸的减小,箔的屈服强度都会升高,晶粒尺寸对屈服强度的影响满足Hall-Petch细晶强化关系,厚度减小使屈服强度升高也可以主要归结于晶粒尺寸的减小.此外,当箔的厚度小于100 靘时,厚度/晶粒尺寸比不能表征屈服强度的尺寸效应.     

晶粒尺寸和孪晶界间距对纳米多晶铝合金塑性变形影响的分子动力学模拟研究

采用分子动力学模拟方法,分别研究了晶粒尺寸和孪晶密度对纳米多晶铝合金塑性变形的影响。模拟结果表明,弛豫后的位错密度对纳米多晶Al的微观结构演变和逆Hall-Petch关系产生了重要影响。变形受晶粒大小限制,在细晶中可形成层错四面体和复杂层错结构,从而激活了晶界的辅助变形。当孪晶界间距（TBS）较大时,Shockley分位错在晶界处形核并增殖。然而,随着TBS的减小,孪晶界成为Shockley分位错的来源。孪晶界上大量的分位错形核会导致孪晶界迁移甚至消失。在塑性变形过程中还观察到形变纳米孪晶。研究结果为开发具有可调节力学性能的先进纳米多晶Al提供了理论基础。     

Grain boundary migration and grain rotation studied by molecular dynamics

We report on molecular dynamics simulations of an isolated cylindrical grain in copper shrinking under capillary forces. At low temperatures, the coupling between grain boundary (GB) migration and grain translation induces rotation of the grain towards higher or lower misorientation angles, depending on the initial misorientation. The dynamics of the GB motion and grain rotation are studied as functions of the initial misorientation angle and temperature. The effects of imposed constraints blocking the grain rotation or exerting a cyclic torque are examined. The simulation results verify several predictions of the model proposed by Cahn and Taylor [Acta Mater 52, 4887 (2004)]. They also indicate that the GB motion is never perfectly coupled but instead involves at least some amount of sliding. This, in turn, requires continual changes (annihilation or nucleation) in the GB dislocation content. Dislocation mechanisms that can be responsible for the motion of curved GBs and dislocation annihilation in them are proposed.     

Deformation of nanocrystalline binary aluminum alloys with segregation of Mg,Co and Ti at grain boundaries

The influence of the temperature and sort of alloying element on the deformation of the nanocrystalline (NC) binary Al alloys with segregation of 10.2 at % Ti, Co, or Mg over grain boundaries has been studied using the molecular dynamics. The deformation behavior of the materials has been studied in detail by the simulation of the shear deformation of various Al bicrystals with the grain-boundary segregation of impurity atoms, namely, Ti, Co, or Mg. The deformation of bicrystals with different grain orientation has been studied. It has been found that Co introduction into grain boundaries of NC Al has a strengthening effect due to the deceleration of the grain-boundary migration (GBM) and difficulty in the grain-boundary sliding (GBS). The Mg segregation at the boundaries greatly impedes the GBM, but stimulates the development of the GBS. In the NC alloy of Al–Ti, the GBM occurs actively, and the flow-stress values are close to the values characteristic of pure Al.     

等径弯曲通道变形制备超细晶铜的热稳定性

室温下采用等径弯曲通道变形(Equal Channel Angular Pressing,ECAP)C方式进行了纯铜(99.95%)12道次挤压变形。通过等温和等时退火,研究ECAP变形后铜的退火行为,并研究了等径弯曲通道变形和退火后纯铜的显微硬度和显微结构变化。分析了ECAP应变量、退火时间和退火温度对超细晶铜的再结晶行为、抗软化性能的影响。结果表明:ECAP变形后的超细晶铜在退火过程中,表现出不连续再结晶现象;ECAP降低了铜的热稳定性,变形道次越高再结晶温度越低。退火后稳态晶粒尺寸随变形道次的增加而细化,硬度值随变形道次的增加而增大,回归分析表明,晶粒尺寸与硬度之间的关系符合Hall-Petch公式。     

Al-TiB2纳米晶薄膜中的反Hall-Petch效应

多种微结构因素作用的相互交织使纳米晶合金中是否存在与纯金属类似的反Hall-Petch现象难以得到实验证实。选用Al-TiB_2体系,采用二维结构纳米多层膜的方法,实现了对晶粒尺寸因素的孤立和使其独立地改变,研究了晶粒尺寸对薄膜力学性能的作用规律。结果表明:Al-TiB_2过饱和固溶纳米晶薄膜也与纳米晶纯金属Al一样,存在硬度随晶粒尺寸减小从遵从Hall-Petch关系提高转变为偏离Hall-Petch关系,并进一步出现反Hall-Petch效应的3个阶段,实验得到了偏离Hall-Petch关系为32 nm,产生反Hall-Petch现象的临界晶粒尺寸为8 nm,这2个临界晶粒尺寸与分子动力学方法对纳米晶纯金属A1计算的结果相当。     

Crossover from grain boundary sliding to rotational deformation in nanocrystalline materials

A theoretical model is suggested which describes cooperative action of grain boundary (GB) sliding and rotational deformation in mechanically loaded nanocrystalline materials. Focuses are placed on the crossover from GB sliding to rotational deformation occurring at triple junctions of GBs. In the framework of the model, gliding GB dislocations at triple junctions of GBs split into dislocations that climb along the adjacent boundaries. The splitting processes repeatedly occurring at triple junctions give rise to climb of GB dislocation walls that carry rotational deformation accompanied by crystal lattice rotation in grains of nanocrystalline materials. The role of GB sliding, rotational deformation and conventional dislocation slip in high-strain-rate superplastic flow in nanocrystalline materials is discussed.     

Strength and ductility in TiAl alloys

Tensile behavior of two-phase TiAl alloys at room temperature (RT) is analyzed for duplex and lamellar microstructural forms. The Hall-Petch relationship with high constants in fully-lamellar material is explained as a combined function of grain-size and deformation-anisotropy. The low ductility and its inverse relationship with grain size are explained using the anisotropic tensile properties of lamellar structures and assuming that the fracture is controlled by the crack nucleation process involving the pile-ups of dislocations under shear stress. The crack initiation toughness and associated strains near the crack tip are used to explain the inverse relationship between ductility and toughness.     

Microhardness measurements and the Hall-Petch relationship in an AlMg alloy with submicrometer grain size

An Al-3% Mg solid solution alloy was subjected to intense plastic deformation, using either equal-channel angular (ECA) pressing or torsion straining, to produce grain sizes in the submicrometer range. Static annealing at elevated temperatures led to grain growth and average grain sizes of up to > 100 μm. As-fabricated and statically annealed specimens were used to determine the variation in microhardness with grain size, and results confirm that the Hall-Petch relationship persists down to at least the finest grain size examined experimentally (∼90 nm). The results provide no evidence to support the claims of a negative Hall-Petch slope when the average grain size is very small, but there is evidence of a decrease in the slope of the Hall-Petch plot at the very finest grain sizes (< 150 nm); this is attributed to the increased participation of mobile extrinsic dislocations in the boundary regions when taking the hardness measurements.     

Microhardness measurements and the Hall-Petch relationship in an Al---Mg alloy with submicrometer grain size

An Al-3% Mg solid solution alloy was subjected to intense plastic deformation, using either equal-channel angular (ECA) pressing or torsion straining, to produce grain sizes in the submicrometer range. Static annealing at elevated temperatures led to grain growth and average grain sizes of up to > 100 μm. As-fabricated and statically annealed specimens were used to determine the variation in microhardness with grain size, and results confirm that the Hall-Petch relationship persists down to at least the finest grain size examined experimentally (90 nm). The results provide no evidence to support the claims of a negative Hall-Petch slope when the average grain size is very small, but there is evidence of a decrease in the slope of the Hall-Petch plot at the very finest grain sizes (< 150 nm); this is attributed to the increased participation of mobile extrinsic dislocations in the boundary regions when taking the hardness measurements.     

Plastic deformation of nanocrystalline aluminum at high temperatures and strain rate

The deformation of nanocrystalline aluminum was studied using molecular dynamics simulation at homologous temperatures up to 0.97. The microstructures and stress–strain response were examined in a polycrystalline and bicrystal configuration. The activation energies for dislocation-based deformation as well as grain boundary sliding and migration were quantified by fitting simulation data to temperature using an Arrhenius relation. The activation energy for the flow stress response suggests that deformation is largely accommodated by sliding and migration of grain boundaries. This is in agreement with simulated microstructures, indicating a negligible degree of dislocation interaction within each grain, and microstructural observations from high strain rate processes are also consistent with this result. A steady-state grain size is maintained in the recrystallized structure following yielding due to boundary migration and grain rotation mechanisms, rather than by diffusion-based dislocation climb.     

Synergy of grain boundary sliding and shear-coupled migration process in nanocrystalline materials

An attempt has been made to illustrate a new physical mode of plastic deformation in nanocrystalline materials that synergizes two processes, i.e. grain boundary (GB) sliding and stress-driven shear-coupled GB migration. The latter process incorporates a rotational and a translational plastic flow, in which a normal migration is coupled with a shear. The energy change resulting from the above-mentioned mode was calculated, and showed that the new deformation mode was much more energetically favorable than both the pure GB sliding mode and the cooperative process of GB sliding and migration without a coupling shear. In addition, the new deformation mode considerably enhances the ductility of nanocrystalline materials compared with the other two above-mentioned processes.     

Quasicontinuum study of incipient plasticity under nanoscale contact in nanocrystalline aluminum

Atomistic simulations using the quasicontinuum method are performed to examine the mechanical behavior and underlying mechanisms of surface plasticity in nanocrystalline aluminum with a grain diameter of 7 nm deformed under wedge-like cylindrical contact. Two embedded-atom method potentials for Al, which mostly differ in their prediction of the generalized stacking and planar fault energies, and grain boundary (GB) energies, are used and characterized. The simulations are conducted on a randomly oriented microstructure with 〈1 1 0〉-tilt GBs. The contact pressure–displacement curves are found to display significant flow serration. We show that this effect is associated with highly localized shear deformation resulting from one of three possible mechanisms: (1) the emission of partial dislocations and twins emanating from the contact interface and GBs, along with their propagation and intersection through intragranular slip, (2) GB sliding and grain rotation and (3) stress-driven GB migration coupled to shear deformation. Marked differences in mechanical behavior are observed, however, as a function of the interatomic potential. We find that the propensity to localize the plastic deformation at GBs via interface sliding and coupled GB migration is greater in the Al material presenting the lowest predicted stacking fault energy and GB energy. This finding is qualitatively interpreted on the basis of impurity effects on plastic flow and GB-mediated deformation processes in Al.