Change in the fractal dimension of the grain boundaries in pure Zn polycrystals during creep

The effects of creep deformation on the shape of grain boundaries were investigated on pure Zn polycrystals at 373 K. The fractal dimension of the grain boundaries D(1D2) was estimated by the box-counting method. There was then discussion on the relationship between the value of D, the microstructures, and the creep or plastic strain in the deformed specimens of metallic materials.The fractal dimension of the grain boundaries (D) increased with increasing the creep strain in pure Zn polycrystals, but the increase in the value of D levelled off when the creep strain exceeded about 0.30. The value of D decreased as the creep stress decreased. The increase in the value of D with the creep strain was correlated with the increase in the density of slip lines in the grains that formed the ledges and steps on grain boundaries. The value of D on the plane in parallel with the tensile axis was slightly larger than that on the plane transverse to the tensile axis. The mean shear strain on grain boundaries estimated from the value of D was correlated with the creep or plastic strain in the deformed specimens.