Influence of divalent cationic impurities on plasticity of AgCl

The hardening effect of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ba²⁺ impurities in polycrystalline AgCl was investigated. With exception of Mg²⁺ the hardening effect of the impurities decreases with increasing atomic number (atomic weight). The hardening effects of Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ are expressively stronger than those of the three remaining impurities. Approximately linear dependence of the stress at the beginning of plastic deformation on the impurity concentration was found. Possible causes of the different hardening effects of the divalent impurities are discussed.