Contribution from dislocation to deformation resistance in polycrystals of copper-based solid solutions

The evolution of dislocation structure in solid solutions of Cu-Al and Cu-Mn systems with different grain sizes and at different test temperatures is studied by means of transmission electron diffraction microscopy. The scalar density of dislocations is measured and its relationship to the flow stress of alloys is determined. Changes in the contribution from dislocation hardening to deformation resistance upon variations in the contributions associated with changes in grain size, solid-solution hardening, and test temperature are analyzed.     

Modelling and simulation of dynamic recrystallisation based on multi-phase-field and dislocation-based crystal plasticity models

ABSTRACT

The mechanical properties of metals used as structural materials are significantly affected by hot (or warm) plastic working. Therefore, it is industrially important to predict the microscopic behaviour of materials in the deformation process during heat treatment. In this process, a number of nuclei are generated in the vicinity of grain boundaries owing to thermal fluctuation or the coalescence of subgrains, and dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) occurs along with the deformation. In this paper, we develop a DRX model by coupling a dislocation-based crystal plasticity model and a multi-phase-field (MPF) model through the dislocation density. Then, the temperature dependence of the hardening tendency in the recrystallisation process is introduced into the DRX model. A multiphysics simulation for pure Ni is conducted, and then the validity of the DRX model is investigated by comparing the numerical results of microstructure formation and the nominal stress–strain curve during DRX with experimental results. The obtained results indicate that in the process of DRX, nucleation and grain growth occur mainly around grain boundaries with high dislocation density. As deformation progresses, new dislocations pile up and subsequent nucleation occurs in the recrystallised grains. The influence of such microstructural evolution appears as oscillation in the stress–strain curve. From the stress–strain curves, the temperature dependence in DRX is observed mainly in terms of the yield stress, the hardening ratio, and the change in the hardening tendency after nucleation occurs.     

Irradiation hardening of reactor pressure vessel steels due to the dislocation loop evolution

The irradiation hardening of reactor pressure vessel steels due to the formation of dislocation loops is analyzed. The analysis is based on the original model for the nucleation and subsequent evolution of dislocation loops in irradiated materials. The loop formation in displacement cascades is taken into account, along with the homogeneous clustering of point defects. The loop evolution is shown to contribute mainly to the athermal component of the yield stress, which is determined by interaction of gliding dislocations with strong barriers. Irradiation-induced hardening is evaluated as a function of irradiation dose and temperature, dose rate, material parameters and initial microstructure. The model results are compared with experimental data for neutron irradiated pressure vessel steels of various grades and with empirical low power expressions of the yield stress increase with increasing irradiation dose.     

Internal stress and heterogeneous dislocation structure in creep

The present work deals with the problem of microstructural interpretation of internal stress measured in high-temperature creep by the strain-transient dip-test technique. The development of microstructure in the course of creep is considered a transition from uniformly distributed dislocations to a well-developed substructure. The substructure is supposed to have a composite character that consists of cell or subgrain boundaries with few dislocations in cell or subgrain interiors. Model equations for the relation of internal stress to the parameters of the dislocation structure are discussed and examined with reference to experimental data. The evolution of internal stress in creep, evaluated using different formulae, is compared with the evolution of macroscopically measured internal stress. The use of applied-stress dependences of microstructure parameters permits quite realistic estimates of the values of internal stress in steady-state creep.     

On the homogeneous nucleation and propagation of dislocations under shock compression

The dynamic response of crystalline materials subjected to extreme shock compression is not well understood. The interaction between the propagating shock wave and the material’s defect occurs at the sub-nanosecond timescale which makes in situ experimental measurements very challenging. Therefore, computer simulation coupled with theoretical modelling and available experimental data is useful to determine the underlying physics behind shock-induced plasticity. In this work, multiscale dislocation dynamics plasticity (MDDP) calculations are carried out to simulate the mechanical response of copper reported at ultra-high strain rates shock loading. We compare the value of threshold stress for homogeneous nucleation obtained from elastodynamic solution and standard nucleation theory with MDDP predictions for copper single crystals oriented in the [0 0 1]. MDDP homogeneous nucleation simulations are then carried out to investigate several aspects of shock-induced deformation such as; stress profile characteristics, plastic relaxation, dislocation microstructure evolution and temperature rise behind the wave front. The computation results show that the stresses exhibit an elastic overshoot followed by rapid relaxation such that the 1D state of strain is transformed into a 3D state of strain due to plastic flow. We demonstrate that MDDP computations of the dislocation density, peak pressure, dynamics yielding and flow stress are in good agreement with recent experimental findings and compare well with the predictions of several dislocation-based continuum models. MDDP-based models for dislocation density evolution, saturation dislocation density, temperature rise due to plastic work and strain rate hardening are proposed. Additionally, we demonstrated using MDDP computations along with recent experimental reports the breakdown of the fourth power law of Swegle and Grady in the homogeneous nucleation regime.     

Dislocation density-based constitutive model for the mechanical behaviour of irradiated Cu

Performance degradation of structural steels in nuclear environments results from the formation of a high number density of nanometre-scale defects. The defects observed in copper-based alloys are composed of vacancy clusters in the form of stacking fault tetrahedra and/or prismatic dislocation loops that impede the motion of dislocations. The mechanical behaviour of irradiated copper alloys exhibits increased yield strength, decreased total strain to failure and decreased work hardening as compared to their unirradiated behaviour. Above certain critical defect concentrations (neutron doses), the mechanical behaviour exhibits distinct upper yield points. In this paper, we describe the formulation of an internal state variable model for the mechanical behaviour of such materials subject to these (irradiation) environments. This model has been developed within a multiscale materials-modelling framework, in which molecular dynamics simulations of dislocation–radiation defect interactions inform the final coarse-grained continuum model. The plasticity model includes mechanisms for dislocation density growth and multiplication and for irradiation defect density evolution with dislocation interaction. The general behaviour of the constitutive (homogeneous material point) model shows that as the defect density increases, the initial yield point increases and the initial strain hardening decreases. The final coarse-grained model is implemented into a finite element framework and used to simulate the behaviour of tensile specimens with varying levels of irradiation-induced material damage. The simulation results compare favourably with the experimentally observed mechanical behaviour of irradiated materials.     

晶体塑性有限元方法研究辐照对多晶铜力学性能的影响

将辐照硬化理论与晶体塑性理论结合, 运用ABAQUS有限元分析软件模拟辐照后多晶铜的拉伸过程。分析辐照效应对材料屈服强度、硬化过程、晶体变形等力学性能的影响, 研究位错密度的演化及空间分布规律。数值模拟表明: 辐照效应提高多晶铜的屈服应力, 影响不同阶段的硬化和软化现象; 辐照剂量增大导致位错密度增殖总体变缓, 空间不均匀度增大; 晶体的塑性变形及晶体转动也受到辐照的影响, 在相同的应变条件下, 辐照剂量越大, 晶体塑性变形程度越小, 塑性变形分布不均匀度变大, 同时晶体转动程度及转动角离散度增大。     

Prediction of flow stress and textures of AZ31 magnesium alloy at elevated temperature

The viscoplastic behaviour of magnesium alloys at high temperatures leads to highly temperature-dependent mechanical properties. While at high strain rates a notable strain hardening response is observed, at low strain rates the material shows a smooth plastic response with negligible amount of hardening. This complicated behaviour is due to different deformation mechanisms that are active at different strain rate regimes, resulting in different strain rate sensitivity parameters. In this study we show, by utilizing both numerical simulations and experiments, that this behaviour can be predicted by a model that combines two deformation mechanisms, grain boundary sliding mechanism and dislocation glide mechanism. We discuss the importance of each deformation mechanism at different strain rate regimes based on the findings of modelling and experimental results for AZ3 magnesium alloy. By developing a model that includes the above-mentioned two deformation mechanism, the prediction of flow properties is expanded to a wide range of strain rate regimes compared to previous study. The obtained numerical findings for the stress–strain behaviour as well as texture evolution show good agreement with the experimental results.     

Atomistic simulation of the stacking fault energy and grain shape on strain hardening behaviours of FCC nanocrystalline metals

ABSTRACT

Ultra-fine grained copper with nanotwins is found to be both strong and ductile. It is expected that nanocrystalline metals with lamella grains will have strain hardening behaviour. The main unsolved issues on strain hardening behaviour of nanocrystalline metals include the effect of stacking fault energy, grain shape, temperature, strain rate, second phase particles, alloy elements, etc. Strain hardening makes strong nanocrystalline metals ductile. The stacking fault energy effects on the strain hardening behaviour are studied by molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the uniaxial tensile deformation of the layer-grained and equiaxed models for metallic materials at 300?K. The results show that the strain hardening is observed during the plastic deformation of the layer-grained models, while strain softening is found in the equiaxed models. The strain hardening index values of the layer-grained models decrease with the decrease of stacking fault energy, which is attributed to the distinct stacking fault width and dislocation density. Forest dislocations are observed in the layer-grained models due to the high dislocation density. The formation of sessile dislocations, such as Lomer–Cottrell dislocation locks and stair-rod dislocations, causes the strain hardening behaviour. The dislocation density in layer-grained models is higher than that in the equiaxed models. Grain morphology affects dislocation density by influencing the dislocation motion distance in grain interior.     

A crystal plasticity finite element model for flow stress anomalies in Ni3Al single crystals

This paper presents a dislocation density-based non-Schmid constitutive model to address the anomalous thermo-mechanical behaviour of the L1₂ intermetallic single-crystal Ni₃Al. Ni₃Al is used as a strengthening precipitate (γ′ phase) in Ni-based superalloys. Addressing such anomalous behaviour by accounting for temperature-dependent flow stress and hardening evolution, as well as orientation-dependent tension–compression asymmetry, is necessary for modelling superalloys across a range of temperatures. While hardening in cube-slip systems results from statistically stored dislocations (SSDs), hardening in octahedral slip systems is due to both SSDs and cross-slip dislocations (CSDs). The constitutive model incorporates hardening evolution due to SSDs and CSDs. Experimental data for Ni₃Al-type single crystals, available in the literature, are used to calibrate material parameters. Subsequently, results of crystal plasticity FEM simulations are compared with experimental data for several orientations under constant strain rate and creep loading conditions for a wide range of temperatures. The model is able to correctly predict the response of L1₂ intermetallic single crystals including features of anomalous flow stress and non-Schmid yield behaviour.     

Grain-boundary hardening in polycrystalline copper-based solid solutions

A study is made of the contribution of grain-boundary hardening to the overall hardening in a polycrystalline material on the basis of Ashby's model. Yield curves are used for copper-based solid solutions in polycrystalline and singlecrystal forms. It is shown that the contribution from statistically accumulated dislocations to the yield stress in a polycrystalline specimen reflects the behavior of the corresponding single crystal. The contribution from grain boundaries to the yield stress can be described in terms of the additional dislocation density due to the joint grain deformation in the aggregate up to high strains. At low strains, the main role in hardening of a polycrystalline material is played by the grain boundaries. This extends up to larger strains as the strain temperature is reduced and the alloy-element concentration increases.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 47–52, January, 1984.     

高应变率压缩下纳米孔洞对金属铝塑性变形的影响研究

本文利用分子动力学模拟方法研究了含纳米孔洞金属铝在[110]晶向高应变率单轴压缩下弹塑性变形的微观过程. 对比单孔洞和完整单晶的模型, 讨论了多孔金属的应力应变关系及其位错发展规律. 研究结果表明, 对于多孔模型的位错积累过程, 位错密度随应变的增加可大致分为两个线性阶段. 由同一个孔洞生成的位错在相互靠近过程中, 其滑移速度越来越小; 随着位错继续滑移, 源自不同孔洞的位错之间开始交叉相互作用导致应变硬化. 达到流变峰应力之后又由于位错密度增殖速率升高发生软化. 当应变增加到11.8%时, 所有孔洞几乎完全坍缩, 并观察到在此过程中有棱位错生成.     

Influence of dispersoids on microstructure evolution and work hardening of aluminium alloys during tension and cold rolling

The influence of dispersoids on work hardening of aluminium during tension and cold rolling has been studied by comparing Al–Mn alloys containing similar amounts of solutes but various dispersoid densities. The microstructure evolution with deformation strain was examined in transmission and scanning electron microscopy. It is found that a high density of fine dispersoids strengthens the materials significantly, but their strengthening effect diminishes as the strain increases. From a series of Bauschinger tests, it is found that the internal stress, due to particles, increases rapidly at the initial stage of deformation, but saturates at strains larger than 5%. It is concluded that the internal stress makes a small contribution to the work hardening and contributes to less than 10% of the total flow stress during monotonic loading at strains larger than 5%. The work-hardening behaviour has been correlated to the corresponding microstructure, and the strengthening mechanisms are discussed.     

A constitutive model coupling irradiation with two-phase lithiation for lithium-ion battery electrodes

When lithium-ion batteries serve in extreme environments like space, severe irradiation might induce significant decay of the electrochemical performances and mechanical properties. In this paper, an electrochemical-irradiated constitutive model is proposed to explore the evolution of dislocation, defect and stress in electrodes during a two-phase lithiation process. The results from the analytic formulation and finite difference calculations show that, as Li intercalation proceeding, the hoop stress in the surface of a spherical particle converts from compression into tension because the large lithiation strain and plastic yielding at the front pushes out the material behind it. And the plastic flow resistance continuously increases with increasing irradiation dose result from the impediment of a defect to dislocation glide. There is a clear peak in the distribution of stress at yielding locations due to the competition between dislocations multiplication and defects annihilation. The model is meaningful for thoroughly understanding the micro-mechanism of lithiation deformation and provides a guideline for predicting their mechanical behaviours of lithium-ion batteries in unconventional environment.     

A study of the hot and cold deformation of twin-roll cast magnesium alloy AZ31

Recent advances in twin-roll casting (TRC) technology of magnesium have demonstrated the feasibility of producing magnesium sheets in the range of widths needed for automotive applications. However, challenges in the areas of manufacturing, material processing and modelling need to be resolved in order to fully utilize magnesium alloys. Despite the limited formability of magnesium alloys at room temperature due to their hexagonal close-packed crystalline structure, studies have shown that the formability of magnesium alloys can be significantly improved by processing the material at elevated temperatures and by modifying their microstructure to increase ductility. Such improvements can potentially be achieved by processes such as superplastic forming along with manufacturing techniques such as TRC. In this work, we investigate the superplastic behaviour of twin-roll cast AZ31 through mechanical testing, microstructure characterization and computational modelling. Validated by the experimental results, a novel continuum dislocation dynamics-based constitutive model is developed and coupled with viscoplastic self-consistent model to simulate the deformation behaviour. The model integrates the main microstructural features such as dislocation densities, grain shape and grain orientations within a self-consistent viscoplasticity theory with internal variables. Simulations of the deformation process at room temperature show large activity of the basal and prismatic systems at the early stages of deformation and increasing activity of pyramidal systems due to twinning at the later stages. The predicted texture at room temperature is consistent with the experimental results. Using appropriate model parameters at high temperatures, the stress–strain relationship can be described accurately over the range of low strain rates.     

Deformation of a nanocube with a single incoherent precipitate: role of precipitate size and dislocation looping

ABSTRACT

Precipitate hardening is a key strengthening mechanism in metallic alloys. Classical models for precipitate hardening are based on the average behaviour of an ensemble of precipitates, and fail to capture the complexity of dislocation-precipitate interactions that have recently been observed at individual precipitates in simulations and in-situ electron microscopy. In order to achieve tailored mechanical properties, detailed deformation mechanisms at specific precipitates that account for precipitate size, crystallography, and defect structure must be understood, but has been challenging to achieve experimentally. Here, in-situ scanning electron microscope mechanical testing is used to obtain the compressive stress–strain behaviour at an individual, incoherent Au precipitate within a Cu nanocube, and determine the influence of precipitate and cube size on yield strength and strain hardening. TEM imaging and strain mapping of the initial structure shows misfit dislocations at the Au precipitate, threading dislocations that traverse the Cu shell, and localised and anisotropic strain near the precipitate and threading dislocation. These nanocubes have yield strengths of 800–1000?MPa and strain hardening rate of 1–4?GPa. Yield strength is found to depend on the distance from the precipitate interface to the cube edge, while strain hardening depends on both cube size and precipitate size. An analytical model is developed to quantify the contribution of Orowan looping, Orowan stress, back stress and image stress to plasticity at the Au precipitate. Orowan stress is found to be the largest contributor, followed by back stress and image stress.     

不同对称性下晶界结构演化及微观机理的晶体相场法研究

采用晶体相场法研究了单轴拉伸下三角相双晶变形过程及机理, 并重点分析了小角对称与非对称晶界和大角对称与非对称晶界在变形过程中的演化及微观机理, 变形过程中应力方向与初始晶界方向平行. 结果表明, 小角对称晶界由柏氏矢量夹角呈60°的两种刃型位错组成, 变形过程中不同类型的位错运动方向相反, 并各自与另一晶界上同一类型位错相互吸引以致部分位错发生湮没; 小角非对称晶界上的位错类型单一, 在应力作用下先沿水平方向攀移, 后各自分解成柏氏矢量约呈120°的两位错, 并通过位错运动和湮没最终形成理想单晶; 大角晶界在应力的作用下先保持水平状态而后锯齿化并发射位错, 伴随着位错运动和湮没, 最终大角非对称晶界发生分解, 而大角对称晶界则重新平直化, 表明大角对称晶界比大角非对称晶界更稳定, 这与实验和分子动力学模拟结果一致. 关键词： 晶体相场 双晶 晶界 对称性     

Evolution of dislocation structures having various orientations in strained single crystals of the alloy Ni3Ge

The dislocation structure of strained single crystals of Ni₃Ge with various orientations is investigated by electron microscopy. The evolution of the dislocation structure parameters is studied as a function of the degree of strain, temperature, and orientation of the single crystals. Analysis of the experimental dependences of the yield stress on the density of dislocations leads to certain conclusions about how various mechanisms for dislocation drag make temperature-dependent contributions to the deforming stress, and about the nature of the thermal hardening of Ni₃Ge. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 672–680 (April 1998)