Structure evolution of pure iron upon low-temperature deformation under high pressure

Structure evolution of iron (99.97% purity) deformed by shear under pressure at 80 K in a medium of liquid nitrogen has been investigated. It has been found that, along with dislocation slip, twinning and development of deformation microbands become operative mechanisms of low-temperature deformation. This led to specific type of inhomogeneity of the structure in which, up to ultimately attained degrees of deformation, low-angle misorientations are retained and, unlike room-temperature deformation, no homogeneous submicrocrystalline (SMC) structure is formed. Twinning contributes to the refinement of structure elements that are more than 1 μm in size; the further refinement occurs by the dislocation-disclination mechanism and goes to the steady-state stage.