Evolution of oxide nanoparticles during dynamic plastic deformation of ODS steel

The microstructure as well as the deformation behavior of oxide nanoparticles has been analyzed in the ferritic ODS steel PM2000 after compression by dynamic plastic deformation (DPD) to different strains. A dislocation cell structure forms after deformation to a strain of 1.0. DPD to a strain of 2.1 results in nanoscale lamellae with an average lamellar spacing of approximately 70 nm. During DPD oxide nanoparticles, identified as yttrium aluminum perovskite YAlO3, are found to deform differently depending on their size. Whereas particles with a size of less than 15 nm change their shape and aspect ratio, particles coarser than 20 nm remain stable. It is suggested that the small oxide particles in our material are intrinsically easier to be deformed than coarser ones.