Crack–grain boundary interactions in zinc bicrystals

In polycrystalline materials that fail by transgranular cleavage, it is known that crystallographic misorientation of preferred fracture planes across grain boundaries can provide crack growth resistance; despite this, the micromechanisms associated with crack transmission across grain boundaries and their role in determining the overall fracture resistance are not well understood. Recent studies on diverse structural materials such as steels, aluminum alloys and intermetallics have shown a correlation between fracture resistance and the twist component of grain misorientation. However, the lack of control over the degree and type of misorientation in experimental studies, combined with a dearth of analytical and computational investigations that fully account for the three-dimensional nature of the problem, have precluded a systematic analysis of this phenomenon. In this study, this phenomenon was investigated through in situ crack propagation experiments across grain boundaries of controlled twist misorientation in zinc bicrystals. Extrinsic toughening mechanisms that activate upon crack stagnation at the grain boundary deter further crack propagation. The mechanical response and crack growth behavior were observed to be dependent on the twist angle, and several accommodation mechanisms such as twinning, strain localization and slip band blocking contribute to fracture resistance by competing with crack propagation. Three-dimensional finite element analyses incorporating crystal plasticity were performed on a stagnant crack at the grain boundary that provide insight into crack-tip stress and strain fields in the second grain. These analyses qualitatively capture the overall trends in mechanical response as well as strain localization around stagnant crack-tips.     

A non-viscous-featured fractograph in metallic glasses

A fractograph of non-viscous feature but pure shear-offsets was found in three-point bending samples of a ductile Pd–Cu–Si metallic glass. A sustainable shear band multiplication with large plasticity during notch propagation was observed. Such non-viscous-featured fractograph was formed by a crack propagation manner of continual multiple shear bands formation in front of the crack-tip, instead of the conventional rapid fracture along shear bands. With a 2D model of crack propagation by multiple shear bands, we showed that such fracture process was achieved by a faster stress relaxation than shear-softening effect in the sample. This study confirmed that the viscous fracture along shear bands could be not a necessary process in ductile metallic glasses fracture, and could provide new ways to understand the plasticity in the shear-softened metallic glasses.     

Dislocation Plasticity Effects on Interfacial Fracture

Analyses are reviewed where plastic flow in the vicinity of an interfacial crack is represented in terms of the nucleation and glide of discrete dislocations. Attention is confined to cracks along a metal-ceramic interface, with the ceramic idealized as being rigid. Both monotonic and fatigue loading are considered. The main focus is on the stress and deformation fields near the crack tip predicted by discrete dislocation plasticity, in comparison with those obtained from conventional continuum plasticity theory. The role that discrete dislocation plasticity can play in interpreting interface fracture properties in the presence of plastic flow is discussed.     

Unstable Fracture Behavior of Rubber Toughened Poly(Styrene-co-Acrylonitrile)

A linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach was used to study fracture characteristics of ABS materials. The effects of crack (ligament) length and rubber content on the microscopic deformations taking place at the front of crack tip and in the bulk of the specimens were investigated. The results of fractography studies showed that, in addition to rubber content, the microscopic deformations are influenced by crack length. For some materials this manifests itself as a change in macroscopic response. The ligament length dependent behavior was increased for the samples with higher rubber contents. The results also showed that, although the elastic behavior with unstable crack growth is the dominant micromechanism of deformation, stable crack propagation still occurred in some compositions. All the fracture parameters, including fracture toughness, fracture energy, plastic zone size, and crack tip opening, increased with rubber content. The changes in microscopic and, as a consequence, in the macroscopic deformation behavior of a given specimen with ligament length were attributed to changes in yield stress of the sample and maximum stress on the ligament.     

Direct observation of plasticity and quantitative hardness measurements in single crystal cyclotrimethylene trinitramine by nanoindentation

Investigation of deformation beginning with elasticity and continuing through the elastic–plastic transition to incipient cracking has been conducted for (210), (021) and (001) oriented single crystals of the explosive cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, commonly known as “RDX”. Nanoindentation was performed with a conical tip over a range of loads. The resulting load–depth data exhibited distinct, reproducible, orientation-dependent load excursions demonstrating elastic–plastic transitions. Indent impressions were imaged by atomic force microscopy revealing deformation features consistent with slip on six planes. Impressions on the (210) and (001) planes showed deformation pile-up features associated with the zone axes of slip planes. Slip traces were evident on the (210) plane indicating slip on four planes and suggesting cross-slip. Height data, for impressions formed by progressively increasing loads, indicated one additional slip system consistent with (010) slip. All of the orientations exhibited cracking thresholds at very low loads. The reduced elastic moduli were anisotropic and the hardness values were isotropic indicating limited plasticity. Maximum shear stresses estimated from a Hertzian model, at load excursions, were within 1/15 to 1/10 of published shear moduli, indicating deformation initiated near the theoretical yield strength, presumably by homogeneous nucleation of dislocations. The material strength parameters and deformation pathways inferred from this work are compared to previous microhardness investigations in which the ambiguity of results can be attributed to the effects of cracking and simultaneous slip on multiple systems. A mechanistic explanation for the hindered plasticity, and cracking, observed for RDX is offered in terms of compatibility conditions.     

Explicit incorporation of cross-slip in a dislocation density-based crystal plasticity model

We present a crystal plasticity model that incorporates cross-slip of screw dislocations explicitly based on dislocation densities. The residence plane of screw dislocations is determined based on a probability function defined by activation energy and activation volume of cross-slip. This enables the redistribution of screw-dislocations and dislocation density patterning due to the effect of stacking fault energy. The formulation is employed for explaining the cross-slip phenomenon in aluminium during uniaxial tensile deformation of ?100? single crystal and a single slip orientation of single crystal, and compare the results with experimental observations. The effect of cross-slip on the stress–strain evolution is seen using this explicit treatment of cross-slip.     

Dislocation dynamic modelling of the brittle–ductile transition in tungsten

Brittle–ductile transitions in metals, ceramics and semiconductors are closely connected with dislocation activity emanating near to crack-tips. We have simulated the evolution of crack-tip plasticity using a two-dimensional dislocation dynamics model which has been developed to include two symmetric slip planes intersecting the crack-tip, and applied to single-crystal tungsten. The dislocation mobility law used was physically based on double-kink nucleation on screw dislocations, with an activation energy reduced by the local stress. Even in the strong stress gradients near a crack-tip, the dislocations are found to self-organise so that the internal stress in the array is effectively constant with time and position over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures. The resultant net activation energy for dislocation motion is found to be constant and close to the activation energy experimentally measured for the brittle–ductile transition. Use of a fracture criterion based on the local crack-tip stress intensity factor, as modified by the stresses from the emitted dislocations, allows explicit prediction of the form and temperature of the brittle–ductile transition. Predictions are found to be in very close agreement with experiment.     

Numerical simulation of deformation and fracture of a material with a polysilazane-based coating

The paper studies the localization of plastic deformation and fracture in a material with a porous coating. A dynamic boundary value problem in the plane strain formulation is solved. The numerical simulation is performed by the finite difference method. The composite structure corresponds to the experimentally observed one and is specified explicitly in the calculation. A generation procedure of the initial finite-difference grid is developed to describe the coating structure with adjustable porosity and geometry of the substrate-coating interface. Constitutive equations for the steel substrate include an elastic-plastic model of an isotropically hardening material. The ceramic coating is described by a brittle fracture model on the basis of the Huber criterion which accounts for crack nucleation in triaxial tension zones. It is shown that the specific character of deformation and fracture of the studied composite results from the presence of local tensile regions in the vicinity of pores and along the coating-substrate interface, in both tension and compression of the coated material. The interrelation between inhomogeneous plastic flow in the steel substrate and crack propagation in the coating is studied.     

STICK-SLIP TYPE CRACK GROWTH DURING INSTRUMENTED HIGH-SPEED IMPACT OF HDPE AND HDPE/SELAR® DISCONTINUOUS LAMINAR MICROLAYER COMPOSITES

Stick-slip type crack growth was triggered in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and HDPE/Selar® discontinuous laminar microlayer composites by instrumented Charpy impact under suitable test conditions (temperature ?40°C, hammer speed 3.7 m/s). Fractographic analysis showed that crazing is responsible for this peculiar fracture. The onset of this stick-slip phenomenon was favored by a mixed plane strain/plane stress condition prevailing in the specimens. The relative orientation of the Selar microlayers in respect to the crack growth direction affected the stick-slip type crack growth and the related failure considerably. No stick-slip type crack propagation was observed when gasoline-plasticized specimens were impacted, which failed by ductile tearing instead of crazing.     

Direct observation and image-based simulation of three-dimensional tortuous crack evolution inside opaque materials

We present a combined novel methodology to study the three-dimensional complex geometry of a tortuous crack and identify the essential features of the crack and its propagation inside a heterogeneous material. We find that some severe damage events occur unexpectedly below a local mode-I crack within the sample; we realize that the severe plastic zone of the local mode-I crack is shifted down by another unseen crack segment hidden behind, which is responsible for the unusual damage phenomenon observed. We also find that the crack grows fast at some locations but slowly at some other locations along the crack front; we recognize that the crack-tip fields are reduced by neighboring hidden crack segments, which accounts for the retarded propagation of some part of the crack front. The feasibility and power of the proposed methodology highlights the potential of a new way to study fracture mechanisms in real materials.     

晶体相场法研究应力状态及晶体取向对微裂纹尖端扩展行为的影响

采用晶体相场模拟研究了单向拉伸作用下初始应力状态、晶体取向角度对单晶材料内部微裂纹尖端扩展行为的影响, 以(111)晶面上的预制中心裂纹为研究对象探讨了微裂纹尖端扩展行为的纳观机理, 结果表明: 微裂纹的扩展行为主要发生在<011>(111)滑移系上, 扩展行为与扩展方向与材料所处的初始应力状态及晶体取向紧密相关. 预拉伸应力状态将首先诱发微裂纹尖端生成滑移位错, 进而导致晶面解理而实现微裂纹尖端沿[011]晶向扩展, 扩展到一定程度后由于位错塞积, 应力集中, 使裂纹扩展方向沿另一滑移方向[101], 并形成锯齿形边缘; 预剪切应力状态下, 微裂纹尖端首先在[101]晶向解理扩展, 并诱发位错产生, 形成空洞聚集型长大的二次裂纹, 形成了明显的剪切带; 预偏变形状态下微裂纹尖端则直接以晶面解理形式[101]在上进行扩展, 直至断裂失效; 微裂纹尖端扩展行为随晶体取向不同而不同, 较小的取向角度会在裂纹尖端形成滑移位错, 诱发空位而形成二次裂纹, 而较大的取向角下的裂纹尖端则以直接解理扩展为主, 扩展方向与拉伸方向几近垂直.     

Extraction of fracture mechanics parameters from steady-state dynamic crack-tip fields

A procedure for determining the fracture mechanics parameters of interest from full-field optical mechanics data is presented. Examples are presented for crack-tip stress fields recorded using dynamic photoelasticity. Stress-field representations in series form, when combined with local collocation procedures, are shown to be a powerful tool for reliable and accurate parameter determination. The methodology is illustrated and applied to two cases of dynamic crack propagation, one pertaining to opening-mode crack propagation and the other to a smoothly curving crack. Emphasis has been placed on giving guidance to a user on how best to approach implementation of the methodology from a practical standpoint.     

Relaxation waves in plastic deformation

Conclusion Experimental study of distortion fields of plastically deformed solids performed on a wide range of materials including fine- and coarse-grain body- and face-centered polycrystals, as well as amorphous alloys reveals that in these materials plastic deformation develops in the form of waves having translational and rotational components. This fact is in accordance with the currently developed theory of a turbulent mechanical field, which also has translational and rotational components.The plastic deformation waves are observable at a macroscopic structural level, and their spatial period (wavelength) is determined by the dimensions of the deformed object and dimensions of the basic structural elements (for a polycrystal, the grain size). The propagation rate of these waves is significantly less than the characteristic propagation rate of an elastic excitation and the velocity of previously described plastic waves which are produced by shock deformation, which latter speed is determined by the hardening coefficient.The character of plasticity waves depends on the form of the material's deformation curve, and on the stage of the hardening curve. The distribution of plastic distortion components changes especially significantly in prefailure regions, which allows detection of the latter long before formation of a macroscopic crack. The role of rotations in forming the failure process has been established.A synergetic interpretation of plasticity wave formation has been proposed, based on synchronization of relaxation acts occurring at stress concentrators during the deformation process.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 19–35, February, 1990.     

Supersonic crack propagation in a class of lattice models of mode III brittle fracture

We study a lattice model for mode III crack propagation in brittle materials in a stripe geometry at constant applied stretching. Stiffening of the material at large deformation produces supersonic crack propagation. For large stretching the propagation is guided by well-developed soliton waves. For low stretching, the crack-tip velocity has a universal dependence on stretching that can be obtained using a simple geometrical argument.     

Atomistic scale fracture behaviours in hierarchically nanotwinned metals

In the present study, a series of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the atomistic scale fracture behaviours along the boundaries of primary twins in Cu with hierarchically nanotwinned structures (HTS), and compare their fracture behaviours with those in monolithic twins. The results indicate that crack propagation along [1?1?2] on the twin plane in monolithic nanotwins is brittle cleavage and fracture, resulting in low crack resistance and fracture toughness. However, the crack resistance along the boundaries of primary twins in HTS is much higher, and a smaller spacing of secondary twins (λ ₂) leads to even higher fracture toughness. With large λ ₂, the crack growth is achieved by void nucleation, growth and coalescence. However, considerable plastic deformation and enhanced fracture toughness in HTS could be achieved by the crack blunting and by the extensive dislocation accommodation ahead of the crack tip when λ ₂ is small.     

Plasticity limit of metals during hot plastic deformation

A model of plasticity limit has been derived in the condition of hot plastic deformation, where dynamic recrystallization takes place, through the ratio between the rate of grain boundary sliding and the overall deformation rate. If fracture occurs preferentially at the grain boundaries we can replace the grain boundary deformation through the energy needed to cause fracture and express the temperature influence on the deformation stress. The plasticity limit is then the function of Zener-Hollomon parameter and deformation stress, where the exponent of deformation stress has a value of –4·3.     

Nucleation of microcracks during dislocation interactions in a Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al single crystal

Reactions between superdislocations involved in deformation in the basal, prismatic, and type-I and II pyramidal planes in single-crystal Ti₃Al are considered. The types of dislocation interactions are established that result in the formation dislocation barriers (microcrack nuclei). The force and energy conditions for microcracks to arise are found. The interaction between a and 2c + a superdislocations results in microcracks with the plane of opening lying in basal and pyramidal planes; the interaction of 2c + a superdislocations in different pyramidal planes results in the formation of microcracks in prismatic and pyramidal planes; and the interaction of a superdislocations in basal and/or pyramidal planes does not cause the formation of dislocation barriers. The types of microcracks are classified in terms of the orientation of deformation axes of single crystals, and the regions of the stereographic triangle are determined characterized by a preferential type of crack opening.     

Effects of void shape and orientation on the elastoplastic properties of spheroidally voided single-crystal and nanotwinned copper

ABSTRACT

Void nucleation, growth and coalescence have been identified as the leading cause of ductile damage in metallic materials. To understand the underlying deformation and damage mechanisms, extensive theoretical, experimental and simulation efforts have been attempted on spherically voided metals. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are performed to analyze the uniaxial straining deformation behaviours of both single-crystal and nanotwinned copper materials embedded with a preexisting spheroidal void. The coupling effects among twin boundary, spheroidal void aspect ratio and orientation on unidirectional elastoplastic behaviours are systematically examined. The dislocation-induced plastic deformation mechanism is also examined and compared with the one due to a perfectly spherical cavity. Simulation results show that elastic modulus increases with both spheroidal void aspect ratio and orientation. So do the yield stress, the first peak stress and the plasticity index. Another peak stress exists for most cases, except for a prolate void embedded in nanotwinned specimens. The slope between peak stresses decreases with both the spheroidal aspect ratio and orientation. The incorporation of a twin boundary results in lower elastic modulus, higher yield strength and smaller plasticity index. For an oblate void, the twin boundary gives rise to more severe strain softening behaviour. The dislocation extraction algorithm illustrates that the continuous nucleation, propagation and reaction of dislocations emanated from both the void front and twin boundary are responsible for the ductile damage of spheroidally voided crystals. The lower dislocation densities found in nanotwinned specimens indicate the desired suppression effects of twin boundary on dislocation activities.     

小尺寸单轴应变Si PMOS沟道晶面/晶向选择实验新发现

小尺寸单轴应变Si p型金属氧化物半导体(PMOS)沟道反型层迁移率与晶面/晶向密切相关,应变PMOS优化设计时应合理选择沟道的晶面/晶向.目前,文献已有1.5 GPa应力强度下单轴应变Si PMOS沟道反型层迁移率按晶面/晶向排序的理论模型.然而,在器件实际制造过程中,覆盖SiN应力膜工艺是固定的,由于沟道弹性劲度系数具有各向异性,这样,不同晶面/晶向应变PMOS沟道所受应力强度不同,进而导致在实际工艺下沟道反型层迁移率晶面/晶向排序理论模型"失效".针对该问题,本文采用中国科学院微电子研究所40 nm工艺流程制备了不同晶面/晶向40 nm沟道小尺寸单轴应变Si PMOS与未应变Si PMOS,并通过器件转移特性测试,获得了小尺寸单轴应变Si PMOS反型层迁移率晶面/晶向排序结论.此有关小尺寸单轴应变Si PMOS沟道反型层迁移率晶面/晶向排序的相关结论,由于考虑了工艺实现因素,与文献理论预测排序结果相比,更适于指导实际器件制造;相关分析方法也可为其他应变材料沟道MOS相关问题的解决提供重要技术参考.     

Influence of low temperatures on the fracture micromechanism of materials with bcc and fcc lattice structures under single loading conditions

General regularities of the influence of the local stress state of a material on the plastic zone formation at the crack tip and the fracture micromechanism of materials with bcc and fcc lattice structures under single loading (static, impact, high-speed pulsed) conditions have been established. Schemes of plastic zone formation under plane strain, plane stress, and in the transient region from plane strain to plane stress are proposed.