Stability of dislocation structures in copper towards stress relaxation investigated by high angular resolution 3D X-ray diffraction

A 300 µm thick tensile specimen of OFHC copper is subjected to a tensile loading sequence and deformed to a maximal strain of 3.11%. Using the novel three-dimensional X-ray diffraction method High angular resolution 3DXRD', the evolution of the microstructure within a deeply embedded grain is characterised in-situ by the behaviour of individual subgrains. The loading sequence consists of three continuous deformation stages with strain rates of 1.1 × 10-6 s-1 and 3 × 10-2 s-1, in each case followed by a period of extended stress relaxation at fixed motor positions, as well as an unloading step. In contrast to the deformation stages, during each stress relaxation stage, number, size and orientation of subgrains are found to be constant, while a minor amount of clean-up of the microstructure is observed as narrowing of the radial X-ray diffraction line profile. The associated decrease in the width of the strain distribution indicates homogenization of the elastic strains present in the deformation structure. During reloading, the subgrain structure seemingly starts to develop further when the entire dislocation structure is deforming plastically. Upon unloading of the sample, the average backward strain of the subgrains increases. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)