Reveal Hydrogen Behavior at Grain Boundaries in Fe–22Mn–0.6C TWIP Steel via In Situ Micropillar Compression Test

In this study, the effect of hydrogen on dislocation and twinning behavior along various grain boundaries in a high-manganese twinning-induced plasticity steel was investigated using an in situ micropillar compression test. The compressive stress in both elastic and plastic regimes was increased with the presence of hydrogen. Further investigation by transmission electron backscatter diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscope demonstrated that hydrogen promoted both dislocation multiplication and twin formation, which resulted in higher stress concentration at twin–twin and twin–grain boundary intersections.

Room-temperature deformation of single crystals of ZrB2 and TiB2 with the hexagonal AlB2 structure investigated by micropillar compression

The plastic deformation behavior of single crystals of two transition-metal diborides, ZrB2 and TiB2 with the AlB2 structure has been investigated at room temperature as a function of crystal orientation and specimen size by micropillar compression tests. Although plastic flow is not observed at all for their bulk single crystals at room temperature, plastic flow is successfully observed at room temperature by the operation of slip on {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<11$${\bar{2}}$$ 2 ¯ 3> in ZrB2 and by the operation of slip on {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<0001> and {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<11$${\bar{2}}$$ 2 ¯ 0> in TiB2. Critical resolve shear stress values at room temperature are very high, exceeding 1 GPa for all observed slip systems; 3.01 GPa for {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<11$${\bar{2}}$$ 2 ¯ 3> slip in ZrB2 and 1.72 GPa and 5.17 GPa, respectively for {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<0001> and {1$${\bar{1}}$$ 1 ¯ 00}<11$${\bar{2}}$$ 2 ¯ 0> slip in TiB2. The identified operative slip systems and their CRSS values are discussed in comparison with those identified in the corresponding bulk single crystals at high temperatures and those inferred from micro-hardness anisotropy in the early studies.

High-strength nanocrystalline intermetallics with room temperature deformability enabled by nanometer thick grain boundaries

Although intermetallics are attractive for their high strength, many of them are often brittle at room temperature, thereby severely limiting their potential as structural materials. Here, we report on a previously unidentified deformable nanocrystalline CoAl intermetallics with Co-rich thick grain boundaries (GBs). In situ micropillar compression studies show that nanocrystalline CoAl with thick GBs exhibits ultrahigh yield strength, exceeding 4.5 gigapascals. Unexpectedly, nanocrystalline CoAl intermetallics also show prominent work hardening to a flow stress of 5.7 gigapascals up to 20% compressive strain. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that deformation induces abundant dislocations inside CoAl grains with thick GBs, which accommodate plastic deformation. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the Co-rich thick GBs play a vital role in promoting nucleation of dislocations at the Co/CoAl interfaces, thereby enhancing the plasticity of the intermetallics. This study provides a perspective to promoting the plasticity of intermetallics via the introduction of thick GBs.