Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The potential engineering of grain boundaries through thermomechanical processing

  • Research Summary
  • Grain Boundaries
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Grain boundary character distribution is a relatively new microstructural feature that describes the proportions of random and special grain boundaries as defined by the coincident site lattice model. The combination of the availability of a new experimental technique based on the automatic indexing of backscatter Kikuchi electron diffraction patterns in the scanning electron microscope (orientation imaging microscopy) and reports in the literature describing the optimization of the grain boundary character distribution through thermomechanical processing are making the potential for enhanced materials properties in commercial metals and alloys a reality. Although the effects of optimizing the grain boundary character distribution in the cost-effective improvement of properties have been documented, the potential for commercialization has limited the disclosure of processing details. In this article, two separate approaches to the optimization of the grain boundary character distribution in oxygen-free electronic copper at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. P. Lin et al., “Influence of Grain Boundary Character Distribution on Sensitization and Intergranular Corrosion of Alloy 600,” Scripta Metalurgica et Materialia, 33 (9) (1995), pp. 1387–1392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Palumbo and K.T. Aust, “Solute Effects in Grain Boundary Engineering,” Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 34 (3) (1995), pp. 165–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. G. Palumbo et al., “Grain Boundary Design and Control for Intergranular Stress-Corrosion Resistance,” Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia, 25 (8) (1991), pp. 1775–1780.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. G. Palumbo et al., “Grain Boundary Engineering for Intergranular Fracture and Creep Resistance,” Proceedings of Microscopy and Microanalysis ’96 (San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Press, 1996) pp. 362–363.

    Google Scholar 

  5. E.M. Lehockey et al., “Grain Boundary Engineered Lead Alloys,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 458 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1997), pp. 243–248.

    Google Scholar 

  6. T. Watanabe, “An Approach to Grain Boundary Design for Strong and Ductile Polycrystals,” Res. Mech., 11 (1984), pp. 47–84.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Grimmer, W. Bollmann, and D.H. Warrington, “Coincidence-Site Lattices and Complete Pattern-Shift Lattices in Cubic Crystals,” Acta Cryst., 30A (1974), pp. 197.

    Google Scholar 

  8. G. Palumbo et al., “A Grain Boundary Engineering Approach to Materials Reliability,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 458 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1997), pp. 273–282.

    Google Scholar 

  9. B.L. Adams, “Orientation Imaging Microscopy—Application to the Measurement of Grain Boundary Structure,” Materials Science and Engineering A-Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing, 166 (1–2) (1993), pp. 59–66.

    Google Scholar 

  10. B.L. Adams, S.I. Wright, and K. Kunze, “Orientation Imaging—The Emergence of a New Microscopy,” Met. Trans. A, 24 (4) (1993), pp. 819–831.

    Google Scholar 

  11. R.D. Doherty, I. Samajdar, and K. Kunze, “Orientation Imaging Microscopy—Application to the Study of Cube Recrystallization Texture in Aluminum,” Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia, 27 (11) (1992), pp. 1459–1464.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. T.A. Mason and B.L. Adams, “The Application of Orientation Imaging Microscopy,” JOM, 46 (10) (1994), pp. 43–45.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. W.E. King and A.J. Schwartz, “Toward Optimization of the Grain Boundary Character Distribution in OFE Copper,” Scripta Materialia, in press.

  14. W.E. King and A.J. Schwartz, “Toward Optimization of the Grain Boundary Character Distribution in Copper by Strain Annealing,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 458 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1997), pp. 53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  15. K.L. Merkle and D. Wolf, “Structure and Energy of Grain Boundaries in Metals,” MRS Bulletin, 15 (9) (1990), pp. 42–50.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. V. Randle, The Measurement of Grain Boundary Geometry (London: IOP Publishing Ltd, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  17. D.G. Brandon, “The Structure of High-Angle Grain Boundaries,” Acta Metall, 14 (1966), p. 1479.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. W.T. Reed and Shockley, “Dislocation Models of Grain Boundaries,” Phys. Rev., 78 (1950), pp. 275–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. B.L. Adams, J. Zhao, and H. Grimmer, “Discussion of the Representation of Intercrystalline Misorientation in Cubic Materials,” Acta Crystallographica Section A-Foundations of Crystallography, 46 (1990), pp. 620–622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. G. Palumbo and K.T. Aust, “Structure-Dependence of Intergranular Corrosion in High Purity Nickel,” Acta Metallurgica et Materialia, 38 (1990), p. 2343.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. P.H. Pumphrey, Grain Boundary Structure and Properties, ed. G.A. Chadwick and D.A. Smith (New York: Academic Press, 1976), p. 139.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Y. Ishida and M. McLean, “Burgers Vectors of Boundary Dislocations in Ordered Grain Boundaries of Cubic Metals,” Phil. Mag., 27 (1973), p. 1125.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. V. Rybin and A.A. Zisman, Poverhnost’, 1 (1982), p. 87.

    Google Scholar 

  24. L.S. Shvindlerman and B.B. Straumal, “Regions of Existence of Special and Non-Special Grain Boundaries,” Acta Metallurgica, 33 (9) (1985), pp. 1735–1749.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. V. Randle, private communication, April 1997.

  26. C.B. Thompson and V. Randle, “Towards Optimization of Grain-Boundary Structures in Annealed Nickel,” Proceedings of 1996 MSA Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Press, 1996), pp. 356–357.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Orientation Imaging Microscopy Software Version 2.0 User Manual (Provo, UT: TSL, 1996), pp. 3–5.

  28. V. Randle and B. Ralph, “Applications of Grain Boundary Engineering to Anomalous Grain Growth,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 122 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1988), pp. 419–424.

    Google Scholar 

  29. V. Randle and A. Brown, “Development of Grain Misorientation Texture, in Terms of Coincident Site Lattice Structures, as a Function of Thermomechanical Treatments,” Philosophical Magazine, A59 (5) (1989), pp. 1075–1089.

    Google Scholar 

  30. G. Palumbo et al., “On Annealing Twins and CSL Distributions in F.C.C. Polycrystals,” Phys. Stat. Sol., 131 (1992), pp. 425–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. J.W. Rutter and K.T. Aust, “Migration of 〈100〉 Tilt Grain Boundaries in High Purity Lead,” Acta Metallurgica, 13 (1965), pp. 181–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. K.T. Aust and J.W. Rutter, “Grain Boundary Migration in High-Purity Lead and Dilute Lead-Tin Alloys,” Trans. AIME, 215 (1959), p. 119.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. K.T. Aust and J.W. Rutter, “Temperature Dependence of Grain Migration in High-Purity Lead Containing Small Additions of Tin,” Trans. AIME, 215 (1959), p. 820.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate, University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 94550, Livermore, California

    Adam J. Schwartz

Authors
  1. Adam J. Schwartz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Adam J. Schwartz earned his Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1991. He is currently a staff scientist in the Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Wayne E. King earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University in 1979. He is currently group leader of interface sciences in the Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schwartz, A.J. The potential engineering of grain boundaries through thermomechanical processing. JOM 50, 50–55 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-998-0250-5

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-998-0250-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation