notes / strengthening mechanisms

Hall-Petch Relation
y = i +

ky
D

where ky is Petch parameter, also known as unpinning constant

Model 1
Imagine a pile up at a grain boundary so that the stress at a point r from the pile up in the next
grain is given by,
L
at r = rss
r
where L is the pile-up length and rss is the effective resolved shear stress on the slip plane due
to an applied stress (); i.e., if i is the resistance or back stress due to lattice friction etc, the
stress at point r from the pile-up is,
L
at r = (rss-i)
.
r
Let d be the stress required to nucleate slip in the next grain. That means yielding would occur
when at r = d. Or,
D
.
r
Here, we replaced L by D since the F-R source may be regarded as in the center of the grain
and the nucleation point in the next grain is also perhaps at the center. So that,
ky
r
y = i + d = i +
.
D
D
This relation is valid for large pile-ups and not too small D ( 60).

d = (y-i)

Model 2
In general the dislocation density () is inversely proportional to the grain size (D) :
1
=D .
We know from Taylor equation relating the yield stress to the dislocation density,
k
.
y = i + Gb = i +
D

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notes / strengthening mechanisms

Strengthening Mechanisms
(see notes pp.164-165)
Gb

y = l
Forest Dislocations (Taylor Eqn.)
y = i + Gb
Strain or Work Hardening

y = i + Gb o + Km

= o + Km ; m = 0.9 1

Solution Hardening (Cottrell Atmosphere Locking)

y = KT c ,

c = con. of solute atoms (/cc)

for large c, y = KI c

subscripts T and I stand for tetragonal and isotropic hardening terms

Precipitate Hardening
(small point precipitates) N=ppt density (/cc)

<l> =

1
3

so that y = Gb N )

Precipitation Hardening (Orowan Bowing)

if the mean distance between ppts is l,

y =

Gb
l

large precipitates : D = diameter and fv = volume fraction l =

D
fv

In some cases, the ppts are sheared by the dislocation cutting through them.
Grain-Size Hardening
at low temp ( 0.4TM) - Hall-Petch relation smaller the grain size harder the material
ky
(valid at low temps.)
D
at high -temp (!!!) - GBS makes small grain sized materials weaker .
y = i +

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