Cyclic Deformation Behavior of Ni3Ge Single Crystals At Room Temperature

Abstract

ABSTRACTFully reversed strain-controlled, tension-compression tests were performed at room temperature to study cyclic-deformation properties of Ni3Ge single crystals. The cyclic deformation is performed with the stress axis parallel to the [1 1.94 2.69] direction at a strain rate of 1.0 × 10-4 s-1 and at a total-strain amplitude between 5.0 × 10-4 and 1.5 × 10-3. Cyclic strain-hardening occurs to saturation over the range of the employed strain amplitudes. The cyclic-stress amplitude is higher in compression than in tension at a plastic-strain amplitude larger than 1 × 10-5 where screw dislocations are operative. This stress asymmetry becomes more prominent (i.e., the mean stress-amplitude becomes larger in magnitude) as the plastic-strain amplitude becomes larger. At a plastic-strain amplitude less than 1 × 10-5 where edge dislocations are operative, the stress amplitude is symmetric. A similar stress asymmetry is also observed for monotonic flow stress. The cyclic hardening is explained by considering an interaction between the screw dislocations.