Microcompression study of Mg (0001) single crystal

The stress-strain response, slip mechanisms and size effect in Mg (0 0 0 1) single crystal was investigated by microcompression testing. It is found that plasticity occurs relatively homogeneously up to a critical stress, at which point a massive deformation occurs. While the yield stress increases with decreasing diameter, the qualitative behavior is independent of column size. Cross-sectional electron back-scattered diffraction measurements show that twinning is not the predominant deformation mechanism. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.