The mechanical behaviour of cuprous oxide

Abstract

The stress-strain behaviour under compresion at constant strain rate of single crystals (〈051〉 and 〈122〉) compression axis) and polycrystalline samples of cuprous oxide have been examined at room temperature and hydrostatic pressure up to 12 kb and at atmospheric pressure and high temperature up to 600° C. At high environmental pressure, plastic flow occurs at 6 kb. At high temperatures and one atmosphere, extensive plastic deformation was observed after 500° C. The resultant slip planes were of the {110} and {100} types. Transmission electron microscopy of thin foils prepared from deformed specimens shows that the Burgers' vectors of the glide dislocations are of the 〈111〉, 〈110〉 and 〈100〉 types.