Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2011
We have produced dense and ductile nanocrystalline nickel with various grain size distributions using electrodeposition techniques. The strength of the nickel deposits fell within the scatter band of the general Hall-Petch curve for nickel. However, large variations in yield strength, strain hardening rate and tensile elongation were associated with a relatively small change in the average grain size. The scatter in the elongation data has been attributed to the formation of nodules and the presence of voids. The variations in strength and strain hardening rate have been shown to be associated with the changes in the grain size distribution. A model based on confined dislocation motion and composite behavior has been developed for predicting the stress-strain behavior of the nanocrystalline nickel.