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Effect of microstructural heterogeneity on the mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline metal films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Jagannathan Rajagopalan  and
M. Taher A. Saif
Jagannathan Rajagopalan
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
M. Taher A. Saif*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: saif@illinois.edu
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Abstract

Conventionally, mean grain size is considered the most critical microstructural parameter in determining the mechanical behavior of pure metals. By systematically controlling the distribution of grain orientations in aluminum films, we show that microstructural heterogeneity alone induces large variation in the mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline metal films. Aluminum films with relatively homogeneous microstructure (all grains with identical out-of-plane orientation) show substantially less early Bauschinger effect compared to films with heterogeneous microstructure, irrespective of film thickness or grain size. On the other hand, the films with homogeneous microstructure show relatively higher yield stresses. A direct correspondence is found between the nonuniformity of plastic deformation and early Bauschinger effect, which confirms the critical role of microstructural heterogeneity.

Keywords

Thin filmTextureStress/strain relationship
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 26 , Issue 22 , 28 November 2011 , pp. 2826 - 2832
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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