In situ quantitative study of plastic strain-induced phase transformations under high pressure: Example for ultra-pure Zr

The first in situ quantitative synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) study of plastic strain-induced phase transformation (PT) has been performed on alpha - omega PT in ultra-pure, strongly plastically predeformed Zr as an example, under different compression-shear pathways in rotational diamond anvil cell (RDAC). Radial distributions of pressure in each phase and in the mixture, and concentration of omega-Zr, all averaged over the sample thickness, as well as thickness profile were measured. The minimum pressure for the strain-induced alpha - omega PT, p(epsilon)(d)=1.2 GPa, is smaller than under hydrostatic loading by a factor of 4.5 and smaller than the phase equilibrium pressure by a factor of 3; it is independent of the compression-shear straining path. The theoretically predicted plastic strain-controlled kinetic equation was verified and quantified; it is independent of the pressure-plastic strain loading path and plastic deformation at pressures below p(epsilon)(d). Thus, strain-induced PTs under compression in DAC and torsion in RDAC do not fundamentally differ. The yield strength of both phases is estimated using hardness and x-ray peak broadening; the yield strength in shear is not reached by the contact friction stress and cannot be evaluated using the pressure gradient. Obtained results open a new opportunity for quantitative study of strain-induced PTs and reactions with applications to material synthesis and processing, mechanochemistry, and geophysics. (C) 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.