Tension–compression asymmetry of <c+a> slip in Ti–6Al

characterised plastic deformation

Dr Ed Tarleton and Professor Angus Wilkinson report in Scripta Materialia  a study of the tension–compression (T–C) asymmetry in 〈c+a〉 pyramidal slip in an α-Ti-6Al alloy which was not observed for ⟨a⟩ prismatic slip.  Single crystal microcantilevers with approximately equilateral trianglular cross sections were prepared using a FIB for two different crystallographic orientations allowing the two different slip system families to be examined by bending the cantilever up or down. Significant tension-compression asymmetry was observed for the 〈c+a〉 pyramidal slip; increasing to 820MPa under compression and decreasing to 558MPa in tension.