Identification of energy storage rate components. Theoretical and experimental approach

Abstract

The subject of the present paper is decomposition of energy storage rate into terms related to different mode of deformation. The stored energy is the change in internal energy due to plastic deformation after specimen unloading. Hence, this energy describes the state of the cold-worked material. Whereas, the ratio of the stored energy increment to the appropriate increment of plastic work is the measure of energy conversion process. This ratio is called the energy storage rate. Experimental results show that the energy storage rate is dependent on plastic strain. This dependence is influenced by different microscopic deformation mechanisms.It has been shown that the energy storage rate can be presented as a sum of particular components. Each of them is related to the separate internal microscopic mechanism. Two of the components are identified. One of them is the storage rate of statistically stored dislocation energy related to uniform deformation. Another one is connected with non-uniform deformation at the grain level. It is the storage rate of the long range stresses energy and geometrically necessary dislocation energy. The maximum of energy storage rate, that appeared at initial stage of plastic deformation is discussed in terms of internal micro-stresses.