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Rationalizing the Grain Size Dependence of Strength and Strain-Rate Sensitivity of Nanocrystalline fcc Metals

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Abstract

Low strain-rate sensitivity (SRS) of nanocrystalline metals measured by experiments often leads to the claim that grain boundary (GB)-mediated plasticity is insignificant, contrary to molecular dynamics simulation results. Here, we develop an crystal plasticity model to rationalize the important role of GB-mediated plasticity on the rate-controlling deformation of nano-grained (NG) and ultrafine-grained (UFG) face-centered-cubic (fcc) metals. Important phenomena such as the GB strengthening, the stress saturation, and the evolution of SRS are well captured. We show that the main reason for the low SRS measured experimentally in NG metals (several tens of nm) is the dominance of the localized dislocation activities over the GB process on the overall plasticity. Such localization of dislocation process may provide a reason for the formation of shear bands/zones in NG and UFG fcc metals.

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Acknowledgments

M.X. Huang acknowledges the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. U1764252, U1560204), National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFB0304401) and Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (Nos. 17255016, 17203014, C7025-16G).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China

    Y. Z. Li & M. X. Huang

  2. Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China

    Y. Z. Li & M. X. Huang

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  1. Y. Z. Li
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Correspondence to M. X. Huang.

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Manuscript submitted November 10, 2018.

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Li, Y.Z., Huang, M.X. Rationalizing the Grain Size Dependence of Strength and Strain-Rate Sensitivity of Nanocrystalline fcc Metals. Metall Mater Trans A 50, 1943–1948 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05112-4

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