On the correlation of grain geometry changes during deformation at various temperatures to the operative deformation modes

Abstract

A new experimental technique to determine the operative modes of deformation in polycrystals is presented. The technique is based on measurements of grain geometry and is of a statistical character. It is used to determine which of the deformation modes contribute to the total plastic strain, as a function of straining temperature from 21 to 900°C, in micrograined 316L austenitic stainless steel. This investigation provides the first direct experimental results indicating that grain-boundary sliding makes a significant contribution to the total strain when polycrystals of austenitic stainless steel are deformed at intermediate temperatures with a strain rate as high as 10⁻³s⁻¹.