Linking stress-driven microstructural evolution in nanocrystalline aluminium with grain boundary doping of oxygen

Mo-Rigen He, Saritha K. Samudrala, Gyuseok Kim, Peter J. Felfer, Andrew J. Breen, Julie M. Cairney and Daniel S. Gianola ()
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Mo-Rigen He: University of Pennsylvania
Saritha K. Samudrala: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney
Gyuseok Kim: University of Pennsylvania
Peter J. Felfer: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney
Andrew J. Breen: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney
Julie M. Cairney: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney
Daniel S. Gianola: University of Pennsylvania

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The large fraction of material residing at grain boundaries in nanocrystalline metals and alloys is responsible for their ultrahigh strength, but also undesirable microstructural instability under thermal and mechanical loads. However, the underlying mechanism of stress-driven microstructural evolution is still poorly understood and precludes rational alloy design. Here we combine quantitative in situ electron microscopy with three-dimensional atom-probe tomography to directly link the mechanics and kinetics of grain boundary migration in nanocrystalline Al films with the excess of O atoms at the boundaries. Site-specific nanoindentation leads to grain growth that is retarded by impurities, and enables quantification of the critical stress for the onset of grain boundary migration. Our results show that a critical excess of impurities is required to stabilize interfaces in nanocrystalline materials against mechanical driving forces, providing new insights to guide control of deformation mechanisms and tailoring of mechanical properties apart from grain size alone.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11225

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