Electron channeling contrast imaging of twins and dislocations in twinning-induced plasticity steels under controlled diffraction conditions in a scanning electron microscope

Dislocation cells and mechanical twins have been imaged by electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) in a scanning electron microscope under controlled diffraction conditions in a deformed Fe-22Mn-0.6C twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel using a novel set-up. The approach uses electron backscattered diffraction for orientation-optimized ECCI with enhanced dislocation and interface contrast. The observations provide new insights into the strain-hardening mechanisms of TWIP steels. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.