Microscale Deformation Research Articles

Effect of Chemical Foaming Process Parameters on the Performance of Epoxy Foam and Parameter Optimization Strategies

To prepare polymer foams with low‐density and high‐energy absorption efficiency, this study designs epoxy foaming experiments employing the Box–Behnken method and investigates the impact of process parameters on the microscopic geometric parameters and uniaxial compression response of foam. Finite element analysis models are created to investigate the microscale deformation mechanism. The main results are as follows: 1) The average equivalent cell diameter is significantly affected by foaming temperature and foaming agent content, while cell wall thickness is more influenced by the foaming agent content and the precuring time. 2) The compression response is most significantly affected by foaming temperature, followed by foaming agent content, with precuring time showing less significant influence. The differences in the stress–strain curves during various stages of deformation are due to the buckling of cell walls and the subsequent collapse of cells. 3) Density exhibits a highly positive correlation with strength and modulus while showing a relatively high negative correlation with energy absorption efficiency. Based on these findings, process parameters are optimized using the Hooke–Jeeves algorithm and experimentally validated, demonstrating the reliability of the optimization strategy. The experimental design and process parameter optimization strategy can be applied to other polymer foaming research.

Nanoindentation behavior of the laser-repaired CoCrFeNiV high-entropy alloy

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are solid-solution alloys composed of multiple elements, exhibiting excellent mechanical properties. The unique plastic deformation mechanism induced by their specific solid solution structures has attracted considerable attention but remains incompletely understood, particularly at the micro-scale. In this study, the surface morphology, chemical composition, and microstructures of CoCrFeNiV HEA before and after laser remelting repair were investigated. Nanoindentation testing was employed to characterize the surface hardness and creep behavior of the repaired surface. The distribution of surface hardness before and after laser remelting, as well as the indentation creep behavior under different loads, were studied. The mechanism of indentation creep on the repaired surface was discussed and analyzed. The effect of microstructures of HEAs, including precipitated phases and sub-grain boundaries, on dislocation-dominated micro-scale plastic deformation was elucidated by the transmission electron microscope (TEM). This study contributes to an in-depth understanding of the creep behavior and micro-scale deformation mechanisms in HEAs.

A DIC-FEM hybrid method for measuring strains near fiber-matrix interface of CFRP cross section

A DIC-FEM hybrid method is proposed to capture micro-scale deformation behavior near the fiber-matrix interface by combining displacement distributions measured using digital image correlation (DIC) with finite element method (FEM) analysis. Images of CFRP cross section with fine random pattern before and after deformation are taken with a laser microscope. The in-plane displacement components near the interface of fiber and matrix are obtained using digital image correlation and they are used as the input of the hybrid method. Not only the displacement distributions but the strain fields are determined using the proposed hybrid method, based on the superposition principle, so that the same distributions are obtained as those obtained by the measurement. The proposed DIC-FEM hybrid provides the strains near the interface between fiber and matrix, compensating for the insufficient resolution of microscope images.

Finite Element Simulation of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Machining with a Grain-Size-Dependent Constitutive Model Considering the Ploughing Effect Under MQL and Cryogenic Conditions

The finite element modeling method has been widely applied in the modeling of the cutting process to characterize the instantaneous and microscale deformation mechanism that was difficult to obtain using physical experiments. The lubrication and cooling conditions, such as minimum quantity lubrication and cryogenic liquid nitrogen, affect the thermo-mechanical behaviors and machined surface integrity in the cutting process. In this work, a grain-size-dependent constitutive model was used to model orthogonal cutting for Ti-6Al-4V alloy with MQL and LN2 conditions. The cutting forces and chip morphologies that were measured in the cutting experiments of Ti-6Al-4V alloy were used to validate the simulated forces. The relative errors between the measured and simulated principal forces were less than 8%, while the relative errors of thrust forces were less than 19%. The predicted chip morphologies and surface grain refinement agreed well with the experimental results under the conditions with different uncut chip thicknesses and edge radii. Additionally, the relationship between the plastic displacement and grain refinement, as well as the microhardness and residual stresses under MQL and cryogenic conditions, were discussed. This work provides an effective modeling method for the orthogonal cutting of Ti-6Al-4V alloy to understand the mechanism of the plastic deformation and machined surface integrity under the MQL and LN2 conditions.

Coupled cellular automata-crystal plasticity modeling of microstructure-sensitive damage and fracture behaviors in deformation of α-titanium sheets affected by grain size

Concerning the micro-scale deformation of titanium metal sheets, the number of grains in the sheet thickness direction decreases, and their formability exhibits a strong grain size sensitivity. Meanwhile, the twinning-induced dynamic recrystallization (TDRX) associated with grain size significantly affects the fracture behavior in the microforming of titanium sheets. Therefore, an accurate prediction of formability to improve manufacturing reliability remains challenging in the microforming of miniaturized titanium components. To address this issue, an in-depth understanding of the grain size-dependent TDRX behavior and its role in damage and fracture development in the microforming of α-titanium sheets is critical, and a coupled cellular automata-crystal plasticity (CA-CP) modeling framework was thus developed as an approach providing efficient solutions and insightful comprehensions of the issue. For the proposed modeling framework, a kinematic model for TDRX was established and integrated into the CP model by the CA algorithm. As a result, the microstructure evolution caused by TDRX was regarded as an intrinsic part of the constitutive behavior to connect heterogeneous plastic deformation and damage evolution through data transmission between the CP model and the CA algorithm. Additionally, the coupled CA-CP modeling framework was validated with the internal defect morphologies and deformation microstructures characterized by X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). Experiment and simulation results demonstrated that the fine recrystallized (DRXed) grains were generated after the twin fragmentation when the dislocation density at twin boundaries reached a threshold of 9.2 × 1013 /m2. After TDRX, the dislocation density and the stress concentration intensity in recrystallization regions were revealed to decrease, accounting for the ductility improvement. Nevertheless, the dislocation density at twin boundaries was determined to decrease with the increase of grain size, leading to less twin fragmentation and the absence of TDRX. The uncoordinated deformation between fine DRXed grains motivated defects to grow spherically into microvoids, thereby preventing premature intergranular cracks along twins/grain boundaries. Ultimately, the deformation microstructures resulting from TDRX with the decrease of grain size were confirmed to control the brittle to ductile fracture transition of α-titanium sheets. The presented modeling framework and simulation procedure were validated to be able to predict the material integrity affected by crystalline microstructure in the deformation of titanium metal sheets.

Nanoindentation behaviors of the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy: The effects of crystal structures

The AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA), as a kind of in-situ composite materials, have achieved good match of strength and plasticity due to its typical eutectic lamella structures. Although many previous studies have investigated the indentation behaviors of the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 EHEA, there are still some controversies about the hardness characteristic of different crystal structures, requiring further clarification. Accordingly, in this study, nanoindentation tests were conducted to investigate the indentation behaviors of different crystal structures (primary L12 phase, primary B2 phase, and the eutectic phase region). The residual indentation and the crystallographic orientations were characterized by the laser scanning confocal microscope, scanning electron microscope, and electron backscatter diffraction. The hardness in different crystal structures were comparatively analyzed and the material deformation mechanisms were discussed correspondingly. The statistic results showed that the eutectic phase region had the lowest hardness, and primary B2 phase had the highest hardness. Furthermore, the slip lines in the primary L12 phase were evenly distributed near the residual indentation, but the slip lines in the eutectic phase region were concentrated near the phase boundaries. These findings are expected to deepen the understanding of the microscale deformation behaviors of EHEAs.

On the microscale deformation of the oxide layer formed on a Zr-2.5 Nb alloy: A micropillar compression study

Oxides are prone to brittle failure, leading to passivity loss and exposing the underlying metal during service. Thus, understanding the mechanical response of oxides is crucial for evaluating metal passivity. The present study examines the oxide layer on a Zr-2.5 Nb alloy used in CANDU® reactors after different exposure times. Micropillar compression tests on the oxide layer revealed that the mean failure stress and strain remain unchanged (are within the error) for both samples. Post-deformation characterization confirms that the failure of the oxide layer is brittle and could be pseudo-shear, which is consistent with the critical failure mode for brittle materials.

Investigation on Micro-scale Deformation of Additively Manufactured Inconel 718: Role of Segregation on Melt-pool Boundaries

Investigation on Micro-scale Deformation of Additively Manufactured Inconel 718: Role of Segregation on Melt-pool Boundaries

Quasistatic nature of subsurface densification of soda lime silicate glass under nano- and Vickers indentation

Mechanical properties of glass are critical for technical applications, thus comprehending the material response to mechanical tests is of great importance. In this study, we employ the nanoindentation combined with nanoscale infrared (nano-IR) spectroscopy combined with scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) and ToF-SIMS, to elucidate the nanoindentation rate dependence of plastic deformation of soda lime silicate glass. Experiment results show that the nanohardness and elastic modulus of soda lime silicate (SLS) glass exhibit a strong dependence on loading rate, while those of fused quartz (FQ) shows a much weaker dependence. The residual indent volume at fast loading conditions is smaller for SLS glass than FQ; but as the loading rate decreases, the residual indent volume of FQ and SLS glass becomes similar. The indent volume of SLS glass after sub-Tg annealing (reverting subsurface densification) shows negligible dependence on the loading rate, suggesting that the densification of SLS glass is strongly enhanced at lower indentation rate, but the shear flow is independent or weakly dependent. Using nanoscale infrared spectroscopy and ToF-SIMS techniques, the sodium ion migration in SLS glass surface in the indent is found to be associated with the subsurface densification. These results suggest the possible role of highly mobile sodium ions on in nano- and micro-scale plastic deformation behavior of SLS glass.

Enhancing formability in Micro-Incremental sheet forming by a novel stacking method of ultra-thin sheets

Metallic foils areused extensively in the microelectronics and avionics industries. However, forming these foils into complexshapes is challenging, due to size-effect. The foils are susceptible to bending and distortion under self-weight as they lack stiffness and fail early during forming. Processes, like drawing, stamping, etc. have been explored at the micro-scale, but they are suitable for simpler geometry and low aspect ratio parts. Micro-incremental sheet forming (μISF) is a new flexible forming process that can be used for micro-scale deformation of foils into complexgeometries with higher formability. This work attempts to improve the stiffness and formability of 100 μm thick CP-Ti Gr2 foils by proposing a unique ‘stacking of foils’ (SOF) approach in μISF. In SOF, multiple foils are stacked together which increases their stiffness and plastic deformation. Experimental results demonstrate that formability is considerably improved by about 21–27 %, with better geometrical accuracy of the micro-parts.

Control of nano-cavitation in semi-crystalline polymer nanocomposites during uniaxial tension: In situ synchrotron X-ray study

The cavitation behavior of polypropylene-silica (PP-silica) and high density polyethylene-silica (HDPE-silica) composites with varying silica content during uniaxial tension was investigated via in situ X-ray techniques. The introduction of silica was found to significantly influence the mechanical properties of the materials. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was employed to determine the cavitation onset strain and to observe the evolution of cavity structures. Through model fitting, the size evolution of nanoscale cavities at the onset of cavitation was quantitatively characterized. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine the morphology before and after stretching, revealing that cavity structures primarily resulted from internal defects in the polymer matrix and interfacial debonding between silica and the polymer. The long axis of the nanoscale cavities at the onset of cavitation was perpendicular to the tensile direction, and further deformation led to the coalescence into micron-sized cavities with the long axis parallel to the tensile direction. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) was used to characterize the microscale deformation process of crystals, showing that during stretching, the lamellae reoriented with the angle between their normal direction and the tensile direction gradually decreasing. Several sets of transition strains representing the plastic deformation were used to compare the microscale and macroscale deformation, elucidating the sequence and differentiation between crystal plastic deformation, cavitation, and yield in the two polymer materials. Intriguingly, both PP-silica and HDPE-silica composites exhibited optimal silica additions and initial structural parameters for regulating cavitation behavior. These findings offer significant guidance for the control of internal structures in porous separators in industrial production.

Research Progress on the Microfracture of Shale: Experimental Methods, Microfracture Propagation, Simulations, and Perspectives

The fracture network generated by hydraulic fracturing in unconventional shale reservoirs contains numerous microfractures that are connected to macroscopic fractures. These microfractures serve as crucial pathways for shale gas to flow out from micro- and nano-scale pores, playing a critical role in enhancing shale gas recovery. Currently, more attention is being given by academia and industry to the evolution of macroscopic fracture networks, while the understanding of the microfracture mechanisms and evolution is relatively limited. A significant number of microfractures are generated during the hydraulic fracturing process of shale. These microfractures subsequently propagate, merge, and interconnect to form macroscopic fractures. Therefore, studying the fracture process of rock masses from a microscale perspective holds important theoretical significance and engineering value. Based on the authors’ research experience and literature review, this paper provides a brief overview of current progress in shale microfracture research from five aspects: in situ observation experiments of microfractures in shale, formation and evolution processes of discontinuous microfractures, the impact of inhomogeneity on microfracture propagation, measurement methods for microscale mechanical parameters and deformation quantities in shale, and numerical simulation of shale microfractures. This paper also summarizes the main challenges and future research prospects in shale microfracture studies, including: (1) quantitative characterization of in situ observation experimental data on shale microfractures; (2) formation and evolution laws of macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic multi-scale discontinuous fractures; (3) more in-depth and microscale characterization of shale heterogeneity and its deformation and fracture mechanisms; (4) acquisition of shale micro-mechanical parameters; (5) refinement and accuracy improvement of the numerical simulation of microfractures in shale. Addressing these research questions will not only contribute to the further development of microfracture theory in rocks but also provide insights for hydraulic fracturing in shale gas extraction.

Micro-Scale Deformation Aspects of Additively Fabricated Stainless Steel 316L under Compression.

The deformation aspects associated with the micro-mechanical properties of the powder laser bed fusion (P-LBF) additively manufactured stainless steel 316L were investigated in the present work. Toward that, micro-pillars were fabricated on different planes of the stainless steel 316L specimen with respect to build direction, and an in situ compression was carried out inside the chamber of the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results were compared against the compositionally similar stainless steel 316L, which was fabricated by a conventional method, that is, casting. The post-deformed micro-pillars on the both materials were examined by electron microscopy. The P-LBF processed steel exhibits equiaxed as well as elongated grains of different orientation with the characteristics of the melt-pool type arrangements. In contrast, the cast alloy shows typical circular-type grains in the presence of micro-twins. The yield stress and ultimate compressive stress of P-LBF fabricated steel were about 431.02 ± 15.51 - 474.44 ± 23.49 MPa and 547.78 ± 29.58 - 682.59 ± 21.59 MPa, respectively. Whereas for the cast alloy, it was about 322.38 ± 19.78 MPa and 477.11 ± 25.31 MPa, respectively. Thus, the outcome of this study signifies that the AM-processed samples possess higher mechanical properties than conventionally processed alloy of similar composition. Irrespective of the processing method, both specimens exhibit ductile-type deformation, which is typical for metallic alloys.

Microscale analysis of geogrid–aggregate interface cyclic shear behavior using DEM

The performance of a geogrid-stabilized structure affected by dynamic loadings is significant. This study investigates the microscale deformation mechanism of the geogrid–aggregate interface cyclic shear behavior using the discrete element method (DEM). Spheres and nonspherical clumps are generated to form aggregate samples. The DEM models are able to capture the macroscopic dynamic shear laws of the aggregate layers stabilized with a geogrid in a similar way to those tested experimentally. The microscale mechanical responses of the cyclic shear tests (e.g., shear strain, fabric evolution, and confined zone), which vary with the particle shape as well as the measurement volume, are analyzed. The rib flexural rigidity has a minor influence on the peak shear strength of the geogrid–aggregate interface cyclic shear test, but is a key factor influencing the shape of the hysteretic loop, which is closely related to the micromechanical responses at the geogrid–aggregate interface. The particles in the upper and lower shear boxes show different motion patterns in response to the aperture ratio. In the case of A/D50 = 2.53, the cumulative plastic deformation of the soil layers extending beyond the interface during the loading and reversal loading process is effectively restrained.

Phase-Specific Damage Tolerance of a Eutectic High Entropy Alloy.

Phase-specific damage tolerance was investigated for the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy with a lamellar microstructure of L12 and B2 phases. A microcantilever bending technique was utilized with notches milled in each of the two phases as well as at the phase boundary. The L12 phase exhibited superior bending strength, strain hardening, and plastic deformation, while the B2 phase showed limited damage tolerance during bending due to micro-crack formation. The dimensionalized stiffness (DS) of the L12 phase cantilevers were relatively constant, indicating strain hardening followed by increase in stiffness at the later stages and, therefore, indicating plastic failure. In contrast, the B2 phase cantilevers showed a continuous drop in stiffness, indicating crack propagation. Distinct differences in micro-scale deformation mechanisms were reflected in post-compression fractography, with L12-phase cantilevers showing typical characteristics of ductile failure, including the activation of multiple slip planes, shear lips at the notch edge, and tearing inside the notch versus quasi-cleavage fracture with cleavage facets and a river pattern on the fracture surface for the B2-phase cantilevers.

Specimen Size Effect on Behavior of Mg–3Al–1Zn Magnesium Alloy in Macro to Micro-scale Deformation

Specimen Size Effect on Behavior of Mg–3Al–1Zn Magnesium Alloy in Macro to Micro-scale Deformation

Role of precipitation and solute segregation on micro-scale deformation of additively manufactured Inconel 718

Inconel 718, a Ni-based superalloy, was prepared by powder laser bed fusion (P-LBF) additive manufacturing (AM) method. AM of the Inconel 718 is challenging, as this particular alloy possesses a higher melting point, as well as resistance to temperature, which induces ‘hot-cracking’. Thus, the selection of proper input parameters are essential, which was successfully achieved in this present study. The microstructure exhibits a hierarchical structure, that starts with equiaxed and sub-cellular (∼100–600 nm) grains, and ends up on the formation of melt-pool and grain boundaries. This structure is exceptional and completely dissimilar to that of wrought alloy, which is infested with twins and precipitates of different secondary phases. However, the effectiveness of such microstructure of L-PBF alloy towards material's strength was undermined, as it lacks the presence of abundant precipitates, which is the major contributor to the strength of such alloys. The strength of the L-PBF processed alloy was in the range of 413–491 MPa and 562–665 MPa respectively, for yield and ultimate compressive strength. This was marginally higher than that of wrought alloy (408 MPa of Yield and 656 MPa of compressive strength). This was attributed to the absence of abundant gamma/gamma double prime (γ'/γ'') phases, and the presence of laves and delta (δ) phases, that are inferior towards the overall strengthen of the Inconel 718. Cross-sectional SEM and TEM investigation of the deformed micro-pillars confirmed the prevailing deformation mechanism that can be attributed to the slip/share plane formation in the presence of dislocation loops.

Unraveling size-affected plastic heterogeneity and asymmetry during micro-scaled deformation of CP-Ti by non-local crystal plasticity modeling

Titanium alloy is prominent in manufacturing of high-performance miniature devices, while size-affected plastic heterogeneity and asymmetry in micro-scaled deformation are not well understood due to its complex deformation mechanism. How the interplay among dislocation slip, deformation twinning, and strain gradient affects the size-dependent plastic heterogeneity and asymmetry is an intractable and non-eluded issue that needs to be unraveled. In this research, a non-local crystal plasticity model (NLCPM) considering discrete twins was established and implemented into a finite element framework. The proposed NLCPM successfully represented the size-dependent asymmetric mechanical response, primary and secondary twinning, and texture evolution. The size-dependent fracture behavior, plastic heterogeneity, and T-C asymmetry during micro-scaled deformation of commercial pure titanium (CP-Ti) were explored by coupling micro-tension/compression test and full-field simulation. Results showed that T-C asymmetry in flow stress was enhanced in the coarse-grained and small-diameter samples. For the sample with D≥0.6 mm, the ductility of CP-Ti was improved with the increase of grain size as there are more prevailing twins and the concentrating stress could be relieved by the abundant slip rather than cracking. Grain-level strain is more homogeneous in compression when d was increased from 60 to 110 μm since more non-prismatic slips were activated that accommodated strain along various directions. Meanwhile, plastic strain was allocated within discrete twin bands and thus alleviated strain concentration. Furthermore, the hardening effect of twin boundaries cancelled out the softening effect near the free surface, resulting in a narrower softening layer in the coarse-grained samples compared to its grain size. With the decrease of the sample size, the proportion of the softening layer increased, while the volume fraction of twinning decreased, leading to a reduction in macroscopic stress and fracture strain. This work enhances the in-depth understanding of size-affected plastic heterogeneity and asymmetry during micro-scaled deformation of CP-Ti and supports the forming of high-quality micro components under complex deformation path.

Development of a Multiphase Numerical Modeling Approach for Hydromechanical Behavior of Clay Embankments Subject to Weather-Driven Deterioration

Clay embankments used for road, rail, and flood defense infrastructure experience a suite of weather-driven deterioration processes that lead to a progressive loss of hydromechanical performance: micro-scale deformation (e.g., aggregation and desiccation), changes in soil-water retention, loss of strength, and macro-scale deformation. The objective of this study was to develop a numerical modeling approach to simulate the construction and long-term, weather-driven hydromechanical behavior of clay embankments. Subroutines within a numerical modeling package were developed to capture deterioration processes: (1) strength reduction due to wet-dry cycles; (2) bimodality of the near-surface hydraulic behavior; (3) soil-water and soil-gas retentivity functions considering void ratio dependency; and (4) hydraulic and gas conductivity functions considering void ratio dependency. Uniquely, the modeling approach was comprehensively validated using laboratory tests and nine years of field measurements from a full-scale embankment. The modeling approach captured the variation of near-surface soil moisture and matric suction over the monitored period in response to weather cycles. Further, the developed model approach could successfully simulate weather-driven deterioration processes in clay embankments. The model predictions manifested the ability of the modeling approach in capturing deterioration features such as irrecoverable increases in void ratio and hydraulic permeability near surface. The developed and validated numerical modeling approach enables forecasting the long-term performance of clay embankments under a range of projected climate conditions.

Influence of single phase NiS nanoparticles as lubricant additive in microscale deformation of copper gear

ABSTRACT Demand for miniature gears is increasing daily due to huge development in MEMS and microdevices. As a result of this drive towards miniaturisation, microsystem technologies are becoming increasingly important. In this concern, researchers are interested in developing a micro forming process to manufacture highly accurate micro gears, improved operational and functional characteristics, capacity to perform in hazardous environmental conditions, and longer service life. Single-phase NiS nanospheres were developed using a high-temperature wet chemical method and were dispersed in engine oil (SAE 20 W-40) for further forming process. During plastic deformation (micro-scale), the combined grain size effects and NiS nanoparticle added lubricant on formability and interfacial friction of the micro gear are investigated. The grain size effect significantly impacts the micro gear’s formability during micro forming. The grain size and orientation significantly influence the microscale deformation process. Due to the size effect, the microhardness value at the centre and the tooth varies considerably. Due to the existence of NiS nano additive lubricant, the surface quality of micro gear improved significantly. The findings of this work help to comprehend the properties of nano additive lubricant and how it behaves tribologically throughout the micro-forming process.