Applied stress controls the production of nano-twins in coarse-grained metals

We present evidence that the level of the applied stress plays a critical role in deformation twinning in face-centred cubic alloys. While conventional cold rolling of a face-centred cubic structure produces a microstructure with a high-density of extended dislocations, increasing the applied stress using high-pressure torsion gives a nano-twinned coarse-grained structure. This suggests the existence of a critical stress for deformation twinning which thereby delineates an approach for the production of nano-twinned microstructures in coarse-grained materials with superior mechanical properties. (C) 2012 American Institute of PhysicsThis project was supported by the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DP120100510 (Y.C., Y.B.W., and X.Z.L.)), the National Science Foundation of the United States (Grant No. DMR-1160966 (M.K. and T.G.L.)), and the National Science Foundation of the United States (Grant No. DMR-1104667 (Y.T.Z.))