Dilatometry: a powerful tool for the study of defects in ultrafine-grained metals

Vacancies, dislocations, and interfaces are structural defects that are deliberately introduced into solids during grain refinement processes based on severe plastic deformation (SPD). Specific combinations of these defects determine the improved mechanical properties of the obtained ultrafine-grained materials. High-precision, non-equilibrium dilatometry, i.e., measurement of the irreversible macroscopic length change upon defect annealing, provides a powerful technique for the characterization and the study of the kinetics of these defects. It is applied to determine absolute concentrations of vacancies, to characterize dislocation processes, and to assess grain boundary excess volume in pure, FCC and BCC ultrafine-grained metals processed by SPD.