Hydrogen-induced strain localisation in oxygen-free copper in the initial stage of plastic deformation

Single crystals of oxygen-free copper oriented to easy glide of dislocations were tensile tested in order to study the hydrogen effects on the strain localisation in the form of slip bands appearing on the polished specimen surface under tensile straining. It was found that hydrogen increases the plastic flow stress in Stage I of deformation. The dislocation slip localisation in the form of slip bands was observed and analysed using an online optical monitoring system and atomic force microscopy. The fine structure of the slip bands observed with AFM shows that they consist of a number of dislocation slip offsets which spacing in the presence of hydrogen is markedly reduced as compared to that in the hydrogen-free specimens. The tensile tests and AFM observations were accompanied with positron annihilation lifetime measurements showing that straining of pure copper in the presence of hydrogen results in free volume generation in the form of vacancy complexes. Hydrogen-enhanced free-volume generation is discussed in terms of hydrogen interactions with edge dislocation dipoles forming in double cross-slip of screw dislocations in the initial stage of plastic deformation of pure copper.     

Analysis of the factors that cause unstable deformation and loss of plasticity in neutron-irradiated copper

Copper is used as an example to analyze the effect of radiation on the stress-strain curves and deformation stability of radiation-hardened metals. The analysis is based on an equation that describes the evolution of the dislocation density with deformation in a plastically deformed material. Deformation instability in the initial stage of the stress-strain curve is caused by strong deformation localization at the microscopic level as a result of the transformation of immobile radiation defects (vacancy and interstitial loops) into mobile dislocations. The channeling of a large number of dislocations along slip planes causes the appearance of a yield drop and a yield plateau in the stress-strain curves. The critical conditions for their appearance, as well as the theoretical irradiation-dose dependences of the yield-plateau length and the uniform strain to necking, are found.     

Computer simulation of the vacancy defects interaction with shuffle dislocation in silicon

The interactions between the 60^° shuffle dislocation and two different types of vacancy defects in silicon are separately studied via the molecular dynamics simulation method. The Stillinger–Weber potential is used to describe the atomic interactions. The results show that the dislocation slip velocity will decrease due to the interaction with the vacancy cluster (V ₆). The simulation also reveals that the divacancy will be absorbed by the dislocation. Meanwhile, a climbing of the dislocation occurs during their interactions. However, the divacancy has little effect on the dislocation slip velocity. Based on the above results, the decrease in threading dislocation density in SiGe/Si heterostructures with the use of low-temperature Si buffer layer may be explained.     

Dislocation kink-pair energetics and pencil glide in body-centered-cubic crystals

When body-centered-cubic crystals undergo plastic deformation, the slip planes are often noncrystallographic. By performing atomistic simulation on the activation pathway of dislocation jumps in bcc iron, we show that the main reason for bcc crystals to exhibit this phenomenon is that one type of kink pair has significantly lower energy than all the other types on the same slip plane. Dislocation motion therefore cannot continue on the same slip plane, and the dislocation has to cross slip onto an intersecting slip plane after each atomic jump. Thus in the long run, the average slip plane would be zigzag and noncrystallographic.     

Effect of structural vacancies on lattice vibration,mechanical, electronic,and thermodynamic properties of Cr5BSi3

In recent years,transition metal silicides have become the potential high temperature materials.The ternary silicide has attracted the attention of scientists and researchers.But their inherent brittle behaviors hinder their wide applications.In this work,we use the first-principles method to design four vacancy defects and discuss the effects of vacancy defects on the structural stability,mechanical properties,electronic and thermodynamic properties of hexagonal Cr;BSi;silicide.The data of lattice vibration and thermodynamic parameters indicate that the Cr;BSi;with different atomic vacancies can possess the structural stabilities.The different atomic vacancies change the mechanical properties and induce the Cr;BSi;to implement the brittle-to-ductile transition.The shear deformation resistance and volume deformation resistance of Cr;BSi;are weakened by different vacancy defects.But the brittleness behavior is remarkably improved.The structural stability and brittle-to-ductile transition of Cr;BSi;with different vacancies are explored by the electronic structures.Moreover,the thermal parameters indicate that the Cr;BSi;with vacancies exhibit different thermodynamic properties with temperature rising.     

原子模拟钛中微孔洞的结构及其失效行为

六角金属由于其各向异性等特点,在塑性变形等过程中容易产生形状和构型都相对复杂的点缺陷团簇.这些团簇之间及其与运动位错等缺陷的相互作用直接影响材料的物理和力学性能.然而对相关问题的原子尺度、尤其是空位团簇的演化和微孔洞的形成乃至裂纹形核扩展等的理解还不全面.本文采用激发弛豫算法结合第一原理及原子间作用势,系统考察了钛中的空位团簇构型及不同构型间的相互转变,给出了不同尺寸空位团簇的稳定和亚稳构型、空位团簇合并分解和迁移的激发能垒等关键参数,发现较小的空位团簇形成稳定构型,较大的空位团簇呈现出空间对称分布趋势进而形成微孔洞;采用高通量分子动力学模拟系统研究了不同尺寸的空位团簇在拉应力作用下对变形过程的影响,发现这些空位团簇可以形成层错,并对微裂纹的形核产生影响.     

Surface effects in plastic deformation of metals

It is now accepted that the appearance of slip bands on the surface of a plastically deformed metal is evidence that the deformation is not homogeneous but is concentrated on relatively few atomic planes. Recent microscopical experiments have suggested that this conclusion is only valid in the later stages of deformation and that the first fractional per cent of strain is much more nearly homogeneous. Theories to account for both these stages of deformation are examined in the light of microscopical evidence.

The validity of conclusions about internal processes based on experiments on the surface is discussed; it is shown that the surface finish affects not only the appearance of internal processes but also the processes themselves.

In cases where the deformation is not homogeneous the balance of evidence is that it is also not continuous in time: instead, slip on an active slip plane tends to a limit which is reached either gradually or suddenly depending on the nature of the metal and the conditions of stress. The same processes which stop slip on the active planes produce general hardening of the metal. However, slip can restart on or near to former slip planes as a result of mechanisms activated by temperature and stress, and can, in favourable cases, continue until fracture. Therefore slip bands, the sources of hardening, are also places of weakness.     

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.     

Modeling of Dislocation Generation and Interaction During High-Speed Deformation of Metals

Recent experiments by Kiritani et al. [1] have revealed a surprisingly high rate of vacancy production during high-speed deformation of thin foils of fcc metals. Virtually no dislocations are seen after the deformation. This is interpreted as evidence for a dislocation-free deformation mechanism at very high strain rates. We have used molecular-dynamics simulations to investigate high-speed deformation of copper crystals. Even though no pre-existing dislocation sources are present in the initial system, dislocations are quickly nucleated and a very high dislocation density is reached during the deformation. Due to the high density of dislocations, many inelastic interactions occur between dislocations, resulting in the generation of vacancies. After the deformation, a very high density of vacancies is observed, in agreement with the experimental observations. The processes responsible for the generation of vacancies are investigated. The main process is found to be incomplete annihilation of segments of edge dislocations on adjacent slip planes. The dislocations are also seen to be participating in complicated dislocation reactions, where sessile dislocation segments are constantly formed and destroyed.     

Ageing of a microscopic sliding gold contact at low temperatures

Nanometer-scale friction measurements on a Au(111) surface have been performed at temperatures between 30 and 300?K by means of atomic force microscopy. Stable stick slip with atomic periodicity is observed at all temperatures, showing only weak dependence on temperature between 300 and 170?K. Below 170?K, friction increases with time and a distortion of the stick-slip characteristic is observed. Low friction and periodic stick slip can be reestablished by pulling the tip out of contact and subsequently restoring the contact. A comparison with molecular dynamics simulations indicates that plastic deformation within a growing gold junction leads to the observed frictional behavior at low temperatures. The regular stick slip with atomic periodicity observed at room temperature is the result of a dynamic equilibrium shape of the contact, as microscopic wear damage is observed to heal in the sliding contact.     

Vibration analysis of defective graphene sheets using nonlocal elasticity theory

Many papers have studied the free vibration of graphene sheets. However, all this papers assumed their atomic structure free of any defects. Nonetheless, they actually contain some defects including single vacancy, double vacancy and Stone-Wales defects. This paper, therefore, investigates the free vibration of defective graphene sheets, rather than pristine graphene sheets, via nonlocal elasticity theory. Governing equations are derived using nonlocal elasticity and the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The influence of structural defects on the vibration of graphene sheets is considered by applying the mechanical properties of defective graphene sheets. Afterwards, these equations solved using generalized differential quadrature method (GDQ). The small-scale effect is applied in the governing equations of motion by nonlocal parameter. The effects of different defect types are inspected for graphene sheets with clamped or simply-supported boundary conditions on all sides. It is shown that the natural frequencies of graphene sheets decrease by introducing defects to the atomic structure. Furthermore, it is found that the number of missing atoms, shapes and distributions of structural defects play a significant role in the vibrational behavior of graphene. The effect of vacancy defect reconstruction is also discussed in this paper.     

Effects of vacancy and deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on graphene

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory are carried out to study the adsorption energy of monovacancy and deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on graphene. The bond length and Mulliken charge of an Al atom adsorbed on intrinsic and defected graphene systems are also analyzed. We find that an Al atom, sitting above the H site of intrinsic graphene, is in the most stable location. And the adsorption energy increases with increasing graphene coverage. In 1/32 Al/VC-gra and 1/8 Al/VC-gra Al—C covalent bonds are formed, and the Al—C ionic bonds are enhanced by the vacancy. For our calculations, vacancy and deformation both enhance the adsorption energy of an Al atom adsorbed on a graphene system, but vacancy is more effective. In a tensile system, a geometric distortion is induced in the adsorption structure when the tensile deformation is greater than 15%; in a compression system, the adsorption structure begins to distort from 5%. When the tensile and compressive deformations are greater than 10%, the compressive deformation is more effective than the tension deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on the graphene system. Especially, when the deformation is relatively small, a vacancy has a greater effect on the adsorption energy of an Al atom adsorbed on graphene.     

A Note on the Mechanism of Vacancy Production in Ultra-High-Speed deformation

Various possible and conceivable mechanisms of vacancy production in crystal during rapid deformation are considered, in attempt to explain how a large number of vacancy clusters can be produced with or without existence of dislocations during ultra-high-speed deformation of crystalline materials and to determine whether or not vacancy formation alone can effect deformation. Theoretical discussions mainly address the geometrical aspect of vacancy production, and are, therefore, neither quantitative in nature nor conclusive. Nevertheless, in connection with the present note, the author wishes to emphasize the importance of vacancy production in ultra-high-speed deformation of materials.     

核衰变产生的X射线和俄歇电子数据计算

核衰变过程中,内转换电子发射和电子俘获能在原子电子壳层内留下空穴.其他原子电子壳层的电子将填补这些空穴,其原子电子位置将重排,并发射X射线和俄歇电子.X射线和俄歇电子的能量由原子电子结合能计算得到,X射线和俄歇电子的强度分别由内转换电子发射和电子俘获在原子电子壳层内留下的空穴数,X射线荧光产额,和空穴转移系数计算得到.本文简要介绍核衰变产生的X射线和俄歇电子数据的计算方法、计算程序与工作流程,并以核衰变为例说明其具体应用和简要讨论与总结.     

Dynamic collective displacements of atoms in metals and their role in the vacancy mechanism of diffusion

The phenomenon of dynamic collective displacements of atoms in face-centered cubic crystals has been revealed using molecular dynamics method. This phenomenon plays an important role in the vacancy mechanism of diffusion. The vacancy mechanism is provided by the collision of two regions of collective atomic displacements that move a migrating atom and a vacancy toward each other. The collective thermal atomic displacements from crystal lattice sites occur as a result of the nonuniform momentum distribution of atoms according to the Maxwellian distribution. Owing to their statistical nature, the degree of correlation of the atomic displacements depends neither on the temperature nor on the interatomic interaction potential.     

高纯铝中的反常位错内耗

本文对高纯铝的应变时效内耗行为以及所表现出的振幅效应进行研究。在一定的扭转形变以后内耗表现出反常振幅效应,这一效应在较宽的温区都可观察到,但在完全退火或拉伸形变的试样中不出现。扭转形变的方式对振幅效应有影响。纯度越低,越不易观察到这一效应。本文认为反常振幅效应的出现归因于形变导致位错密度过高,位错可动的范围较小,从而消耗的能量不再随应力显著增大。室温下时效内耗的增大可能是形变引入的空位帮助位错滑移所引起的。 关键词：     

Experimental study of different modes of block sliding along interface. Part 2. Field experiments and phenomenological model of the phenomenon

The paper reports the results of field experiments on studying different modes of gravitational sliding of a block on the natural fault surface. Various materials were used as interface filler to model the whole range of deformation events that can be arbitrarily divided into three groups: accelerated creep, slow slip, and dynamic slip. The experiments show that the type of modeled deformation events is defined by both structural parameters of contact between blocks and material composition of the contact filler.Foundations for a new geomechanical model of occurrence of different-type dynamic events were developed. The model is based on the idea that “contact spots” form subnormally to the crack edges during shear deformation; the “spots” are clusters of force mesostructures whose evolution governs the deformation mode. The spatial configuration of “contact spots” remains unchanged during the entire “loading-slip” cycle but changes after the dynamic event occurrence. The destroyed force mesostructures can be replaced by similar structures under intergranular interaction forces when the external influence is fully compensated. Unless “contact spots” are incompletely destroyed, the deformation process dynamics is defined by their rheology. The migration of “contact spots” during deformation of a crack filled with heterogeneous material causes changes in deformation parameters and transformation of the mode itself due to changing rheology of local contact areas between blocks.It is found by fractal analysis that in order for dynamic slip to occur, spatially structured “contact spots” characterized by low fractal dimension must be formed; slow slip events can exist only in a certain parametric domain called the “dome of slow events”. It is found that the probability of slow slip occurrence is higher on fault regions characterized by maximum fractal dimension values: fault tips, fault branching and fault intersection zones.     

Explanation of atomic displacement around lattice vacancies in diamond based on electron delocalization

The relationship between unpaired electron delocalization and nearest-neighbor atomic relaxations in the vacancies of diamond has been determined in order to understand the microscopic reason behind the neighboring atomic relaxation. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) cluster method is applied to calculate the single-electron wavefunction of the vacancy in different charge states. Depending on the charge and spin state of the vacancies, at outward relaxations, 84-90% of the unpaired electron densities are localized on the first neighboring atoms. The calculated spin localizations on the first neighboring atoms in the ground state of the negatively charged vacancy and in the spin quintet excited state of the neutral vacancy are in good agreement with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) measurements. The calculated spin localization of the positively charged vacancy contrasts with the tentative assignment of the NIRIM-3 EPR signal to this center in (p-type) semiconductor diamond. The sign of the lattice relaxation in the diamond vacancy is explained based on the effect of electron delocalization on nearest-neighbor ion-ion screening, and also its effect on the bond length of neighboring atoms.     

Structure and mechanical properties of nylon 6.12 prepared by temperature slope crystallization. II. Rolling deformation and microhardness of the oriented negative spherulite

Oriented negative spherulites of nylon 6.12 were crystallized by the temperature slope method. Rolling deformation of the negative texture was performed in three directions. The deformation mechanism of the negative spherulites was investigated by x-ray diffraction and microhardness measurements. Slip deformation between crystalline lamellae (interlamellar slip) was observed in the first stage of deformation. The results are compared with the rolling deformation of other polymer textures such as the positive spherulites of nylon 6.12 and β-phase isotactic polypropylene. In the rolling deformation of nylon 6.12, hydrogen-bonded (010) planes play an important role. For large deformations (λ > 1.5), preferential slip between (010) planes appears, resulting in a lamellar inclination of 60° and a decrease of the lamellar thickness. Microhardness measurements after rolling deformation of the oriented negative texture show good agreement with the structural analysis. The rapid decrease in the microhardness with increasing deformation can be explained by the lamellar thickness decrease brought about by the preferential slip between the (010) planes.