The effect of twin plane spacing on the deformation of copper containing a high density of growth twins

Z W. Shan, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Natl Ctr Electron Microscopy, Univ Pittsburgh, Dept Mech Engn
L Lu, Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Met Res, Shenyang
A M. Minor, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Natl Ctr Electron Microscopy, Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Mat Sci
E A. Stach, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University
S X. Mao, Univ Pittsburgh, Dept Mech Engn

Abstract

In-situ tensile straining in a transmission electron microscope was used to investigate the role of twin plane spacing on the deformation and fracture mechanism of pure copper containing a high densin: of nanoscale growth twins. Real-time and post-mortem observations clearly reveal that twin plane spacing plays a key role in determining the operative deformation mechanism and therefore the subsequent crack propagation path. The deformation mechanism transition, which results front changes in the twin plane spacing, has implications for interpreting the unusual mechanical behavior of the copper with a high density of nanoscale growth twins.