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Rate dependence of crack-tip processes predicts twinning trends in f.c.c. metals

Nature Materials volume 6, pages 876–881 (2007)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 13 November 2007

Abstract

Crack-tip behaviour in metals is among the most basic problems in mechanics of materials. Yet, long-standing experimental evidence suggests that crack-tip twinning in face-centred-cubic (f.c.c.) metals is highly dependent on the material, temperature and loading rate, and previous simulations and models predict twinning in aluminium, where it has never been observed. Here, this discrepancy between theory and experiment is resolved through a new model guided and validated by extensive multiscale simulations. Both the analytic model and simulations reveal a transition from crack-tip twinning at short times to full dislocation formation at long times. Applied to a host of f.c.c. metals, the model agrees with experimental trends as it predicts large differences in the thermal activation needed for full dislocation emission to dominate. More broadly, this work demonstrates the necessity of multiscale modelling and attention to rate dependence for accurate description of material behaviour and computationally guided material design.

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Figure 1: Schematic diagram of two possible modes of crack-tip plasticity in f.c.c. metals.
Figure 2: Cross-section of the simulation cell showing the crack and crystal geometry used in this work.
Figure 3: Time to nucleation of a trailing or twinning partial versus applied load in Al at 300 K.
Figure 4: Slip potential Φ along the leading-to-trailing and leading-to-twinning slip paths for Al (ref. 31) at 300 K.
Figure 5: Activation energy per unit length versus applied load for both twinning and trailing partial emission for a range of f.c.c. metals.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research, Materials Research Division, through Grant No. N00014-05-1-0705.

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Author notes

  1. S. Qu

    Present address: Present address: Institute of Applied Mechanics, College of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA

    D. H. Warner, W. A. Curtin & S. Qu

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  2. W. A. Curtin
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Correspondence to W. A. Curtin.

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Warner, D., Curtin, W. & Qu, S. Rate dependence of crack-tip processes predicts twinning trends in f.c.c. metals. Nature Mater 6, 876–881 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2030

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