Deformation crossover: from nano- to mesoscale

In situ synchrotron and neutron diffraction were used to study deformation mechanisms in Ni over a broad range of grain sizes. The experimental data show that unlike in coarse-grained metals, where the deformation is dominated by dislocation slip, plastic deformation in nanocrystalline Ni is mediated by grain-boundary activities, as evidenced by the lack of intergranular strain and texture development. For ultrafine-grained Ni, although dislocation slip is an active deformation mechanism, deformation twinning also plays an important role, whose propensity increases with the grain size.