Attenuation Stress Hysteresis Loops and Low‐Frequency Internal Friction Associated with Thermomechanical Breakaway of Dislocations

Abstract

AbstractMeasurements of ultrasonic attenuation and velocity changes are performed on 5N aluminium during the application of a low frequency bias stress. The characteristics of the attenuation‐stress Δα = f(σ) loops are studied as a function of the repetition of loading, amplitude σm of loading stress, temperature, and pretreatment of the sample (prestrain, ageing time, or temperature). The results show that at least two kinds of dislocation‐point defect breakaway mechanisms are involved in the experiments. Then a model is developed in order to calculate from the attenuation‐stress hysteretic loop a low frequency internal friction decrement δα: peak events versus amplitude (δα = f(σm)) are thus observed, in good accordance with classical models of internal friction associated with breakaway of dislocations; the activation energy for depinning and the space between pinning points are deduced from these peaks and their evolutions are followed as a function of the pretreatment of the sample. In addition, although the internal friction decrements δα and δ, obtained directly from torsion pendulum, have some similar characteristics, a noticeable difference appears in the decrement levels which is especially explained by the characters of the solicitation in bias stress and torsion pendulum experiments, respectively, one sided and alternative; their effects are discussed in terms of dislocation mechanisms.