Influence of plastic deformation upon the half-width of engineering metallic materials in hard state

The half-width values of the X-ray diffraction profiles are frequently used to characterize the static strength of a strengthened surface, or the depth distribution of this mechanical parameter, in a strengthened surface layer, especially in a shot-peening affected layer. However, for the unpeened surface and the base material of the shot-peened specimen of an alloy steel treated in hard state, the experimental results shown in this article indicate that uniaxial tensile or compressive plastic deformation increases the yield strengths while it decreases the half-width values. The half-width values of the shot-peened surface and surface layer greatly decrease, whereas the yield strength of this surface remarkably increases. Accordingly, in the authors’ opinion, the half-width values could not correctly describe the static strengths of hard metallic materials, and, contrary to the viewpoint put forward by a lot of researchers, the shot-peened surfaces of such materials are work hardened instead of work softened. A model demonstrating that plastic deformation reduces the half-width values by decreasing the second kind internal stresses is developed.