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Studying grain boundary regions in polycrystalline materials using spherical nano-indentation and orientation imaging microscopy

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Abstract

In this article, we report on the application of our spherical nanoindentation data analysis protocols to study the mechanical response of grain boundary regions in as-cast and 30% deformed polycrystalline Fe–3%Si steel. In particular, we demonstrate that it is possible to investigate the role of grain boundaries in the mechanical deformation of polycrystalline samples by systematically studying the changes in the indentation stress–strain curves as a function of the distance from the grain boundary. Such datasets, when combined with the local crystal lattice orientation information obtained using orientation imaging microscopy, open new avenues for characterizing the mechanical behavior of grain boundaries based on their misorientation angle, dislocation density content near the boundary, and their propensity for dislocation source/sink behavior.

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Acknowledgements

Authors acknowledge funding from ARO grant W911NF-10-1-0409, Dr. Dejan Stojakovic’s help in sample preparation, and many insightful discussions with Prof. Roger Doherty (Drexel University) in preparation of this manuscript. The authors thank Dr. Manuel Pouchon for allowing the use of the Agilent G200® nanoindentation system located at the Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland, while the MTS XP® System used in this study is maintained and operated by the Centralized Research Facilities in the College of Engineering at Drexel University.

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  1. Siddhartha Pathak

    Present address: Materials Science, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), 1200 E. California Blvd., MC 309-81, Pasadena, CA, 91125-8100, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, 3602, Thun, Switzerland

    Siddhartha Pathak, Johann Michler & Kilian Wasmer

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Siddhartha Pathak & Surya R. Kalidindi

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Surya R. Kalidindi

Authors
  1. Siddhartha Pathak
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  2. Johann Michler
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  3. Kilian Wasmer
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  4. Surya R. Kalidindi
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Correspondence to Siddhartha Pathak.

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Pathak, S., Michler, J., Wasmer, K. et al. Studying grain boundary regions in polycrystalline materials using spherical nano-indentation and orientation imaging microscopy. J Mater Sci 47, 815–823 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-5859-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-5859-z

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