Application of mechanical state relations at low and high homologous temperatures

Abstract

The rate dependent behavior of a 50 Sn-50 In alloy has been characterized by means of load relaxation experiments over a range of homologous temperatures from 0.2 to 0.88. The data can be represented over its entire range by use of a power law description of dislocation dynamics, modified to incorporate evolution of structure-dependent variables. At low homologous temperatures a macroscopic internal stress apparently exists; this stress vanishes at higher homologous temperatures. The results indicate that intermediate and high temperature load relaxation can be interpreted in terms of an evolving structure. Under this analysis the material passes through a continuous succession of mechanical states during a relaxation event.