Amorphous complexions alter the tensile failure of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr alloys

Wardini, Jenna L.; Grigorian, Charlette M.; Rupert, Timothy J.

doi:10.1016/j.mtla.2021.101134

Amorphous complexions alter the tensile failure of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr alloys

Journal Article · Sat May 29 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Materialia

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2021.101134· OSTI ID:1811699

^[1]; Grigorian, Charlette M. ^[2]; Rupert, Timothy J. ^[2]

Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States); University of California, Irvine
Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Grain boundary-based mechanisms are known to control the plastic deformation and failure of nanocrystalline metals, with manipulation of the boundary structure a promising path for tuning this response. In this study, the role of interfacial structural disorder on plasticity and failure of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr alloys is investigated with in situ scanning electron microscopy tensile deformation experiments. Two model materials are created, one with only the typical ordered grain boundaries and another with amorphous intergranular films interspersed into the boundary network, while the microstructures are otherwise identical. Hence, the importance of complexion type on plasticity and failure is isolated by only varying complexion structure. Here, the tensile experiments show that failure of the samples containing amorphous films is significantly retarded, as evidenced by an increase in the cross-sectional area reduction, a decrease in the occurrence of shear-dominated failure, a decrease in strain localization, and fracture surfaces with more elongated dimple features. As a whole, this study provides direct evidence that structural disorder at the grain boundaries can be beneficial for improving the ductility of nanocrystalline metals.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0021224

OSTI ID:: 1811699

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1786553

Journal Information:: Materialia, Journal Name: Materialia Vol. 17; ISSN 2589-1529

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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