Active Slip Systems Research Articles

Vibration fatigue properties and deterioration mechanism of diffusion bonded TC4 titanium alloy

To analyze the effect of diffusion bonding process on vibration fatigue properties, a series of fatigue tests and microstructure characterization of as-received and diffusion bonded TC4 titanium alloy were conducted. The results show that the thermal cycling of diffusion bonding process results in microscopic change and deteriorates vibration fatigue lifetime of TC4 alloy. For bonded TC4 alloy, the increased grain size inhomogeneity stimulates incompatible deformation of differently oriented α grains and leads to micro-void formation at boundaries of small/large α grain pairs or inside large α grains. Meanwhile, the orientation variation of α grains promotes activation of prismatic slip systems for earlier crack initiation. In addition, the increased fraction of β phase provides more nucleation locations for micro-voids. Thus, the increase of the grain size inhomogeneity, grain orientation change, and the increase of β phase fraction due to the thermal cycling result in fatigue performance deterioration of diffusion bonded TC4 titanium alloy.

Epitaxial growth of rare-earth yttrium on nanosheets to form semicoherent interface in zinc implant

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet as nano reinforcement exhibits great advantages in zinc (Zn) implant due to its coordinated crystal slip and grain boundary strain effect. Nevertheless, the poor interface bonding restrains the coordination effect of MoS2. In this work, rare earth yttrium (Y) was used to epitaxial grow on the vacancy nucleation sites of MoS2 plane through a gas phase reduction method, and then introduced into Zn to improve their interface bonding. On one hand, rare earth Y could form a semicoherent interface with Zn due to the similar atomic arrangement and small lattice misfit between (101)Y plane (0.272 nm) and (002)Zn plane (0.248 nm). On the other hand, it could be tightly integrated together with sulfur element of MoS2 via covalent bond. As a result, the plastic strain of composites was improved from 6.1 % to 10.45 %. Simultaneously, the fracture energy was also increased to 201 × 103 J/m2, since rare earth Y considerably promoted load transfer efficiency from Zn matrix to MoS2 and thereby significantly activated slip systems. Encouragingly, the mechanical strength of the Zn-based biocomposite simultaneously reached 273.3 ± 10.9 MPa due to load transfer strengthening and grain refinement.

Study on Plastic Deformation Removal Mechanism and Dislocation Change in Nanogrinding of Single Crystal Silicon Carbide with Random Rough Surface

This investigation centers on exploring the plastic deformation removal mechanism and dislocation dynamics in the nanogrinding of single‐crystal silicon carbide featuring a randomly rough surface. To simulate this, an approach combining the Weierstrass–Mandelbrot fractal surface function with molecular dynamics is employed. Randomly rough surface contours are generated using the Weierstrass–Mandelbrot fractal surface function. By adjusting the fractal dimension, an ideal representation of single‐crystal silicon carbide with randomly rough surfaces is obtained. By combining plastic deformation detection methods, the process of workpiece sliding, plowing, and chip removal is studied, and the plastic deformation removal mechanism of random rough surface grinding is explored. Combining postprocessing methods such as sheer strain and dislocation trajectory, the morphological changes and transformation mechanisms of dislocations are analyzed. Notably, at grinding depth of 33.18 nm, the activation of slip systems induces dislocation formation, enabling plastic deformation. Furthermore, at depths exceeding 144.00‐nm, the emergence of stacking faults on the random rough surface is observed. Throughout the grinding procedure, plastic deformation of debris occurs, leading to the formation of plastic bulges on both sides of the tool, and the debris generated during processing does not impact the defects encountered during secondary grinding of the rough surface.

Dislocation-mediated plasticity in the intermetallic SmCo5 phase

The intermetallic SmCo5 phase is well known for its unique magnetic properties, but so far, research on the mechanical properties and the underlying lattice defects is comparably scarce. This study aims to investigate the deformation mechanisms of the SmCo5 phase through nanoindentation and micropillar compression on two single crystals with different orientations. We find two active slip systems in compression, the pyramidal slip system {2 1¯1¯1¯} 〈2¯ 1 1 6¯〉 and the basal slip system (0 0 0 1) [2 1¯1¯ 0]. Additionally, basal and pyramidal stacking faults and partial dislocations were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Using ab initio and atomistic modelling we investigated the underlying defect structures and energy barriers. These allowed us to rationalize the observed slip systems and suggest that the pyramidal stacking faults may form by a synchro-shear slip mechanism. Our findings also provide a basis to understand the deformation behaviour of structurally related phases in the Sm-Co system, such as Sm2Co7, which comprises SmCo5 and Laves SmCo2 building blocks.

Influence of secondary orientation on [111]-orientated high temperature creep properties of single crystal alloy with a thin-wall structure

Designing single-crystal superalloy blades to thin wall structures produces the secondary orientation which is the perpendicularity orientation of the wall surface, becoming a newly-concerned crucial factor of performance. Here, we have studied the influence of [110] and [112] secondary orientations on 1100 °C/137 MPa creep properties of [111]-orientated single-crystal superalloys. The plastic deformation accumulation and the plastic limit during creep vary with secondary orientations. Our results give microstructural evidence of the change in the slip systems operation and micro-pore growth, and correlate the possible stress state in the thin wall to plastic deformation mechanism, and finally to properties, which can explain such influence. The results show that the activation of slip systems with different secondary orientations is different due to the different shear stress, and this difference of slip systems causes the difference of plastic deformation ability and pore growth and finally affects the creep performance.

Numerical Simulation of the Residual Stress at the Interface between Thermal Barrier Coating and Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Superalloy Based on Crystal Plasticity Theory

Residual stress plays an important role in the formation and growth of cracks in thermal barrier coatings and single-crystal superalloy substrates. In this study, a finite element model for a planar double-layer thermal barrier coating and a crystal plasticity finite element model based on dislocation slip-induced plastic deformation of single-crystal materials were established to analyze the residual stress in the coatings and the substrate, considering the creep and crystal plasticity of the substrate materials. The simulation results show that the thermal barrier coatings bear most of the stress generated by high temperatures, and the residual stress of the substrate is small. By comparing the two material properties to calculate the interface stress when the amplitude of the interface between the substrate and the coating is 30 μm and the thickness of the thermal grown oxide layer is 5 µm, the interfacial stress of the substrate at the macro scale was found to be similar to the interfacial stress at the micro slip system scale. Based on the cumulative shear strain, it was determined that the [001]-, [011]-, and [111]-oriented alloys activated the 12, 8, and 4 groups, respectively, under the combined action of thermal stress and centrifugal force of the coating. Comparing the activation of different initial orientation slip systems and the magnitude of the yield stress provides a theoretical foundation to study the structural integrity of single-crystal alloys.

Grain size and orientation affected deformation inhomogeneity and local damage of hot-deformed Al-Zn-Mg alloy

The forming defects at elevated temperature caused by the microstructural evolution such as grain size, crystal orientations are the critical issue that induced deformation inhomogeneity and local damage which severely limits the application of Al-Zn-Mg alloys in thin-walled structure manufacturing. In this study, the hot deformation behavior and microstructural evolution were investigated via hot stretching tests, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization. Then, an integrated multiscale constitutive model coupled dislocation density based crystal plasticity (CP) model and phase field method (PFM) was established through the reconstructed configuration of deformation gradient emphasized on a damaged part. The coupled CP-PFM model was numerically implemented into Düsseldorf Advanced Material Simulation Kit (DAMASK) software. Subsequently, a set of virtual polycrystalline RVE models assigned with different average grain sizes and two types of RVE models with realistic crystal orientations were constructed from EBSD data. The experimental and simulation results of the Al-Zn-Mg alloy under hot tensile loading showed that the grain size refinement leads to the increase of grain boundary density, which leads to the rapid increase of dislocation density, uniform damage distribution and better work hardening ability. In addition, the coordination of the activation of different slip systems between adjacent grains will lead to the uneven distribution of dislocation density and local damage.

The synergistic and interactive effects of slip systems and dynamic recrystallization on the weakening basal texture of Mg-Y-Nd-Zr-Gd magnesium alloy

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are known to exhibit strong basal texture following large plastic deformation. However, recent experimental studies have revealed that the Mg-Y-Nd-Zr-Gd series alloy displays a weak texture after undergoing 60% compression at 500 °C. The overall deformation texture is similar to that of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) subsets, and the (0001) pole figure of the deformed grain subsets does not concentrate entirely in the compression direction due to the activation of non-basal slip systems. It should be noted that DRX and non-basal slip systems cannot independently account for the final deformation texture. In this case, continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) occurs, where the segregation of rare earth (RE) elements at grain boundaries (GB) impedes the movement of existing GBs and prevents the occurrence of discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX). Low-angle grain boundaries (LAGB), which are subject to local strain-regulated distribution, continue to absorb dislocations and produce new CDRXed grains. Notably, non-basal slip systems play a role in the generation and subsequent orientation behavior of DRXed grains. As DRX progresses, complex crystal rotations occur on both sides of the newly formed DRX interfaces, causing the orientation of the DRXed grains to gradually deviate from that of the deformed parent grains.

Shear texture development and microstructural analysis of friction stir welded AA5754 sheets during forming at different strain paths

Modern automotive, marine, and aviation industries seek defect-free Al-Mg alloy welds for uniform strain distribution during complex shaping. Despite this critical need, limited research was done on the formability of friction stir welded blanks. This study aimed to examine the shear texture development and microstructural analysis of friction stir welded AA5754 sheets during forming at different strain paths. It is also sought to correlate the changes ensued before and after deformation with microstructures and formability. Four combinations of rotational speeds (1200 and 1600 rpm) and traverse speeds (90 and 150 mm/min) were used to produce 1.5 mm thick butt-welded AA5754 sheets. Limit Dome Height (LDH) experiments were performed for three different strain paths (uniaxial, plane, and biaxial) to assess the formability in terms of strain path diagram. Strain path curves and von Mises effective strains revealed that plane strain limits were lowest for most parameter combinations, except 1200 rpm - 150 mm/min and a peculiar behavior was observed in the minor strains of biaxial strain paths. The reason for this peculiar behavior was further confirmed by weak or absent texture C in biaxial strain paths and declining pole figure intensities at 1200 rpm - 150 mm/min across the strain paths during shear texture analysis. Grain orientation spread (GOS) maps differentiated deformed and recrystallized regions. The minimum average Taylor factor (M) in the biaxial strain path of deformed base material indicated maximum slip system activation. Moreover, for all the specimens the average M ranged between 3 and 4, which signified that the grains exhibited adequate amount of stress levels and high level of work hardening.

Deformation conditions and kinematic vorticity within the footwall shear zone of the Wildhorse detachment system, Pioneer metamorphic core complex, Idaho

Detailed analysis of numerous sequential fabrics and microstructures preserved in the footwall shear zones of detachment fault systems can be used to clarify the spatial relationships and timing of deformation related to emplacement and exhumation of metamorphic core complexes. To quantify the kinematics during deformation, we conducted microstructural analyses along two ∼300 m transects across mylonitic sections of the footwall of the Eocene Wildhorse Detachment system within the Pioneer metamorphic core complex. These results enable comparison of deformation at different structural levels during exhumation and between monomineralic and polymineralic lithologies.In both transects, mylonitic rocks preserve normal-sense asymmetric structures such as recrystallized quartz oblique foliation, S/C–C′ structures, and asymmetric feldspar porphyroclasts. Quartz microstructures, CPO patterns, and kinematic vorticity analyses consistently indicate simple shear-dominated deformation, which is predicted for late stage, shallow-level deformation within a rolling hinge detachment system exhuming a metamorphic core complex. Variations in c-axis patterns and active slip systems are associated with temperature, influenced by structural level, and grain boundary processes related to lithology. To determine the degree of non-coaxiality and minimize limitations and uncertainties with kinematic vorticity methods, we used two methods to evaluate flow vorticity. Kinematic vorticity ranges from 0.55 to 0.95 for the oblique quartz foliation (δ/β) and C′-type shear bands (C′-c) methods. Quartz recrystallized grain size ranges from 10 to 37 μm, indicating maximum differential stresses of 80–110 MPa, which is consistent with the footwall shear zones of numerous metamorphic core complex detachment systems.

The influence of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical response of a newly developed non-equimolar AlCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy: Experiments and numerical modeling

High Entropy Alloys (HEA), or more generally, Complex Concentrated Alloys (CCA) have recently shifted the manufacturing and design paradigms of metallic alloys which are more resistant and strong to mechanical loadings as well as environmental-assisted cracking. Although an extensive body of results on these special alloying systems has accrued over recent years, there are still many unknowns related to composition and microstructure and their influences on plastic deformation and failure. In this exploratory study, a new non-equimolar Multi-Principal Element Alloy along with a few annealed variant configurations is investigated by means of microstructure characterization techniques along with computational modeling. The latter is implemented to unveil the interaction of distinct mechanisms controlling the deformation process and failure in this system. For macroscopic behavior, a phenomenological approach is used to understand the plasticity and fracture under different stress states, while a mesoscale-level crystal plasticity model is carried out to determine slip system activity and its influence on plastic deformation. Overall, the new alloy exhibits rising strain hardening curves regardless of the annealing time period, but the onset of fracture is highly sensitive to heat treatment time.

Correlation between grain structures and tensile properties of Al–Li alloys

The correlation of grain structures (texture and grain shape) of some Al–Li alloys to their yield strength (YS) and elongation was investigated from a new perspective. The investigated materials include 2195, 2A96, 2A55 and 2050 Al–Li alloy sheets with 2 mm in thickness and plates with 5 and 10 mm in thickness as well as different layers in 2297-T87 and 2050-T83 Al–Li alloy thick plates with 80–85 mm in thickness. Higher YS in general corresponds to higher average orientation factor M () values, but there still exist some exceptions. As yielding occurs during tensile deformation, some grains just rotate, slip systems are not activated in all grains and the activated slip system number in different grains is also different. The value calculation therefore should be corrected and normalized excluding the grains in which slip system is not activated and considering the easiest activated slip systems. Meanwhile, the grain shape also plays an important role in YS. Although almost full recrystallization occurs, the higher grain aspect ratio tends to enhance the YS because of less grain rotating and more activated slip systems. Furthermore, the total equivalent slip system number and grain shape affect the elongation in that higher total equivalent slip system number and lower grain aspect ratio correspond to larger elongation.

Inelastic mechanical behaviour of an additively manufactured titanium alloy: a statistical continuum mechanics theory perspective

Statistical continuum mechanics theory was used to simulate the inelastic stress of polycrystalline materials using two-point statistics. For the experimental part, the Electron beam melting (EBM) technique (Arcam EBM Q10 additive machine) was used to fabricate cylindrical rods of Ti-6Al-4V both in horizontal and vertical directions. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique was employed to achieve statistically reliable orientation maps of vertically and horizontally printed samples. In this study, high strain rate compression tests at six different strain rates were performed, and the stress–strain curves were generated. This work is amongst the first attempts to model the microstructure of additively manufactured hexagonal alloys under compressive loadings using the statistical continuum mechanics theory. The model is capable of simulating reasonably large microstructures (statistically representative) with a practical computational cost and accuracy, unlike numerical models that require a high computational cost. It should be noted that in additive manufacturing, due to large grains and high anisotropy, microstructures used in the simulations should be large enough to include sufficient information from the material’s structure. Therefore, using finite element models would be very challenging here. On the other hand, the statistical continuum mechanics theory uses the statistical representation of the material’s characteristics for solving the governing equations with Green’s function that enables this methodology to use more microstructure characteristic information without having a noticeable change to the computational cost. The proposed model in this study uses different microstructure characteristics such as crystal grain orientation, total slip systems, active slip systems, gain morphology, and chemical phases that are obtained from EBSD images for simulating the inelastic mechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials. Although this model simulates polycrystalline materials by considering various crystal and grain information, unlike numerical methods, it doesn’t simulate the grain interactions well and we cannot study local deformation and crack nucleation sites. This model works very well for simulating the overall behavior of material instead of each individual grain and failure analysis. This model has shown a good combination of computational cost and accuracy in which the error between the simulated and experimental strength for vertical and horizontal samples was 6.21% and 8.07%, respectively.

Deformation mechanism of high ductility Mg-Gd-Mn alloy during tensile process

In this research, a high ductility Mg-Gd-Mn magnesium alloy was designed and developed, with an elongation capability surpassing 50%. To gain insights into the underlying mechanism behind the high ductility of the Mg-2Gd-0.5Mn alloy, quasi-in-situ electron backscattered diffraction and two-beam diffraction were conducted. The results reveal that the Mg-Gd-Mn alloy exhibits a distinct rare-earth texture, and the activation of non-basal slip systems is evident from the clear observation of non-basal slip traces during the later stages of deformation. However, the primary deformation mechanisms in Mg-Gd-Mn alloy remain basal <a> slip and {10–12} tensile twinning, and the remarkable ductility observed in Mg-Gd-Mn alloys can be attributed to the softening of non-basal slip modes, which leads to a coordinated deformation between various modes of deformation. To further validate this conclusion, an analysis was conducted using a visco-plastic self-consistent (VPSC) model to investigate the relative activity of basal and non-basal slip in Mg-Gd-Mn alloys. The obtained results align well with experimental observations, providing additional support for the hypothesis.

Revealing the deformation mechanisms of 〈110〉 symmetric tilt grain boundaries in CoCrNi medium-entropy alloy

The synergy of multiple deformation mechanisms responsible for the excellent mechanical properties attracts an increasing interest in CoCrNi medium entropy alloy (MEA). In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the chemical properties of grain boundaries (GBs) and their influence on deformation mechanisms in CrCoNi MEA, with particular emphasis on role of lattice distortion and short-range order (SRO) in dislocation plasticity. After aging, we found Ni element segregate at GB through short-range diffusion driven by a more negative segregation enthalpy. The degree of SRO within the GB region is significantly correlated with the Ni concentration, and it markedly influences the structure and local stress distribution of the GB. Compared to the lattice distortion, SRO can effectively suppress the GB dislocations nucleation and slip, thereby increasing yield strength of the material. During the plastic stage, although the deformation microstructure is intimately linked to the active slip systems and grain orientation, the presence of SRO, as well as the resultant rugged dislocation pathways and increased slip resistance lowers the propensity for stacking faults and phase transformation. The current findings can enhance a fundamental comprehension of diverse deformation mechanisms in CoCrNi MEA and suggest that the chemical characteristics of GB could serve as a pivotal approach for modifying the mechanical properties of MEAs.

Pressure-dependent deformation in brittle diamond

Distinguished from ductile metals, in brittle covalent materials like diamond, hydrostatic pressure is a prerequisite for triggering the plastic deformation. Consequently, the theoretical framework rooted in equilibrium lattice proves inadequate in describing the behavior of brittle covalent materials, making it essential to include extrinsic hydrostatic pressure effects. Here, we take diamond as a model and introduce hydrostatic pressure in the calculation of generalized stacking fault energies (GSFE). A deformation mechanism transition from perfect dislocation slipping on {200} plane to the partial dislocation slipping on {111} plane when the hydrostatic pressure exceeds 100 GPa is revealed by the pressure-coupled GSFE and further authenticated by nanocompression and diamond anvil cell experiments. Such pressure-dependent deformation mechanism is attributed to the different pressure sensitivities of lattice volume expansion during different slip systems operating. Our works provide insights into the activation of slip systems in diamond at the atomic scale and a route to study the plastic deformation behavior of brittle covalent materials.

The effect of electric current on dislocation activity in pure aluminum: A 3D discrete dislocation dynamics study

Introducing electric current into metals and alloys to improve their ductility and to reduce the hardening tendency has been widely adopted. Nevertheless, how the electricity affects the plastic deformation of those materials remains a critical issue with controversial opinions. To clarify the material plastic deformation subjected to electric current, or the so-called electroplastic behavior, an in-depth understanding of the dislocation evolution during that process is vital. From that motivation, three-dimensional dislocation dynamics simulations were carried out to explore the dislocation behavior during the uniaxial tensile deformation of pure aluminum with the introduction of electric current. The scattering process between electrons and dislocations was first captured by a physical model. The electron wind force and local heat effect were quantitatively analyzed by figuring out the momentum and the energy transferred during the interaction of electrons and dislocations respectively. The dislocation density evolution, the activation of different slip systems and the dislocation distribution were further analyzed based on the simulations. The dislocation density in the [111] direction is revealed to increase more significantly than [101] and [001] directions with the introduction of electric current. The results show that the current can reduce the flow stress by promoting the activation of the difficult-to-move dislocations. The activation effect reduces the dislocation tangling tendency and leads to more uniform dislocation distribution. Therefore, a reduction of the flow stress can be observed in EAT comparing to TAT, via the discrete dislocation dynamics simulations even though the dislocation densities are similar. The simulation results are also confirmed by the EAT and TAT experiment results and TEM observations.

A quasi-2D integrated experimental–numerical approach to high-fidelity mechanical analysis of metallic microstructures

Integrated experimental–numerical testing on bulk metal alloys with fine, complex microstructures is known to be highly challenging, since measurements are restricted to the sample surface, thereby failing to capture the effects of the 3D subsurface microstructure. Consequently, a quantitative comparison of deformation fields between experiments and simulations is hardly possible. To overcome this, we propose a novel ‘quasi-2D’ integrated experimental–numerical testing methodology that hinges on the fabrication of μm-thin specimens with practically through-thickness microstructures over large regions of >100 μm. The specimens are fully characterized from both surfaces and tested in-situ to retrieve microstructure-resolved deformation fields. Simultaneously, the full microstructure is discretized in 3D and simulated. This allows for a detailed, one-to-one quantitative comparison of deformation fields between experiments and simulations, with negligible uncertainty in the subsurface microstructure. Consequently, a degree of agreement between experiments and simulations is attained which we believe to be unprecedented at this scale. We demonstrate the capabilities of the framework on polycrystalline ferritic steel and dual-phase ferritic–martensitic steel specimens. At the mesoscale, the methodology enables quantitative comparisons of the interaction between multiple grains, while, at the microscale, it enables advancement of numerical models by direct confrontation with detailed experimental observations. Specifically, it is revealed that the individual slip system activity maps, identified with SSLIP, near a grain boundary can only be reasonably predicted by enhancing the adopted crystal plasticity simulations with a discrete slip plane model. Additionally, the experimentally observed strong anisotropic plasticity of martensite can only be captured with a substructure-enriched crystal plasticity model.

From electron tomography of dislocations to field dislocation mechanics: application to olivine

We propose a new procedure to extract information from electron tomography and use them as an input in a field dislocation mechanics. Dislocation electron tomography is an experimental technique that provides three-dimensional (3D) information on dislocation lines and Burgers vectors within a thin foil. The characterized 3D dislocation lines are used to construct the spatial distribution of the equivalent Nye dislocation density tensor. The model dislocation lattice incompatibility equation and stress balance equation are solved with a spectral code based on fast Fourier transform algorithms. As an output of the model, one obtains the 3D distribution of mechanical fields, such as strains, rotations, stresses, resolved shear stresses (RSSs) and energy, inside the material. To assess the potential of the method, we consider two regions from a previously compressed olivine sample. Our results reveal significant local variations in local stress fields and RSSs in various slip systems, which can impact the strong plastic anisotropy of olivine and the activation of different dislocation slip systems. It also evidences the built-up of kinematic hardening down to the nanometre scale.

Weighted Burgers Vector analysis of orientation fields from high-angular resolution electron backscatter diffraction

The Weighted Burgers Vector (WBV) method can extract information about dislocation types and densities present in distorted crystalline materials from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) maps, using no assumptions about which slip systems might be present. Furthermore, high-angular resolution EBSD (HR-EBSD) uses a cross-correlation procedure to increase the angular precision of EBSD measurements by an order of magnitude compared to conventional EBSD. However, the WBV technique has not previously been applied to HR-EBSD data and therefore it remains unclear as to which low-angle substructures can be reliably characterised by WBV analysis of conventional EBSD data and which require additional HR-EBSD processing. To establish some practical examples that can be used to guide future data-acquisition strategies, we compare the output of the WBV method when applied to conventional EBSD data and HR-EBSD data collected from the most common minerals in Earth's lower crust (plagioclase feldspar) and upper mantle (olivine). The results demonstrate that HR-EBSD and WBV processing are complementary techniques. The increase in angular precision achieved with HR-EBSD processing allows low-angle (on the order of 0.1°) structures, which are obscured by noise in conventional EBSD data, to be analyzed quantitatively using the WBV method. Combining the WBV and HR-EBSD methods increases the precision of calculated WBV directions, which is essential when using information about active slip systems to infer likely deformation mechanisms from naturally deformed microstructures. This increase in precision is particularly important for low-symmetry crystals, such as plagioclase, that have a wide range of available slip systems that vary in relative activity with changing pressure, temperature and differential stress. Because WBV directions are calculated using no assumptions about which slip systems may be present, combining this technique with HR-EBSD to refine the precision of lattice orientation gradients is ideal for investigating complex natural materials with unknown deformation histories.