Unit - I
Lecture 10
Slip Systems
Dr. K. Devendranath Ramkumar
School of Mechanical & Building Sciences
Contents
Slip Systems
Plastic Deformation in Single
Crystalline material
Plastic Deformation in Polycrystalline materials
Slip System
A slip system is a crystallographic plane, and, within that plane, a
direction along which dislocation motion (or slip) occurs.
Slip Planes
Highest Planar Density
Corresponds to most widely spaced planes
Slip Directions
Highest Linear Density
Slip System
Slip Plane + Slip Direction
All metals do not have the same slip system.
The reason for this is that for most metals, the slip system will
consist of the most densely packed crystallographic plane, and
within that plane the most closely packed direction. This plane
and direction will vary from crystal structure to crystal
structure
Introduction
The movement of large numbers of dislocations
to produce plastic deformation Slip
A slip system identifies crystallographically
where the moving dislocations are
where they are going
Slip System consists of
Slip plane - Contains the dislocation line & its
direction of movement and it is usually a
closest-packed plane and the
Slip direction - Direction of movement of
dislocation line is parallel (edge) and
perpendicular (screw)
FCC
There is a set of planes, the {111} family, all of which are closely
packed. A (111)-type plane is indicated in the unit cell;
Slip occurs along -type directions within the {111} planes, as
indicated by arrows. Hence, {111}, <110>represents the slip plane
and direction combination, or the slip system for FCC
Thus, several slip systems may exist for a particular crystal
structure;
the number of independent slip systems represents the different possible
combinations of slip planes and directions
For face-centered cubic, there are 12 slip systems: four unique {111} planes and,
within each plane, three independent <110> directions.
Slip Planes and Slip Directions
FCC(eg. Cu, Ag, Au, Al, and Ni)
Slip Planes
{111}
Slip Directions <110>
Slip System in BCC
Slip System in HCP metals
Principal slip system can depend on c/a and relative orientation of load
to slip planes
More about Slip System
Plastic Deformation in Single
Crystalline Materials
In single crystals, there are preferred planes where
dislocations move (slip planes).
There they do not move in any direction, but in
preferred
crystallographic
directions
(slip
direction).
The set of slip planes and directions constitute
slip systems.
The slip planes are those of highest packing
density.
Slip direction is taken as the direction on the slip
plane with the highest linear density.
Slip in Single Crystal
R cos cos
This equation shows that will be zero when either
or or is equal to 0o.
When both and are equal to 45o, the shear
component is maximum and we have, in this case,
max cos 45 cos 45
o
Cont...
A single crystal subjected to a shear stress can deform
extensively with slip on only a single slip system.
However, this is not the case for poly-crystals.
Since each grain in a poly-crystal has a different
crystallographic orientation, each will respond differently
(slip in a different direction) when subjected to a shear
stress.
Thus, unless the region around grain boundaries can be
undergo arbitrary shape changes, voids at grain
boundaries will be opened up and the material will
fracture at low strains.
SLIP IN
POLYCRYSTALLINE
MATERIALS
Polycrystalline Deformation
Slip in polycrystalline systems is more
complex
direction of slip will vary from one crystal to
another in the system
Polycrystalline slip requires higher values
of applied stresses than single crystal
systems.
Because even favorably oriented grains cannot
slip until the less favorably oriented grains are
capable of deformation.
Polycrystalline Deformation
During
deformation,
coherency
maintained at grain boundaries
is
grain boundaries do not rip apart, rather they
remain together during deformation.
This causes a level of constraint in the
grains, as each grains shape is formed by
the shape of its adjacent neighbors.
Most prevalent is the fact that grains will
elongate along the direction of deformation
Polycrystalline Deformation
Dislocation Movement across GBs
As
dislocations move through
polycrystalline materials, they have
to move through grains of different
orientations, which requires higher
amounts of energy, if the grains are
not in the preferred orientation.
Cross-slip
Consider a screw dislocation moving on
one slip plane that encounters an obstacle
and is blocked from further movement.
This dislocation can shift to a second
intersecting slip system, also properly
oriented, and continue to move. This is
called cross-slip.
In many HCP metals, no cross-slip can
occur because the slip planes are parallel
(i.e.,
not
intersecting).
Therefore,
polycrystalline HCP metals tend to be
brittle.
Fortunately, additional slip systems become
active when HCP metals are alloyed or
heated, thus improving ductility.
Cross-slip is possible in both FCC and
BCC metals because a number of
intersecting slip systems are present.
Consequently, cross-slip helps maintain
ductility in these metals
Why FCC is higher ductile??
FCC and BCC materials have large numbers of slip
systems (at least 12) and are considered ductile. HCP
systems have few slip systems and are quite brittle.
BCC and FCC crystals have more slip systems, that is
more ways for dislocation to propagate. Thus, those
crystals are more ductile than HCP crystals (HCP
crystals are more brittle).
