Estimation of micro-Hall-Petch coefficients for prismatic slip system in Mg-4Al as a function of grain boundary parameters

Grain size strengthening, referred to as the Hall-Petch effect, is a common strategy to improve the yield strength of magnesium (Mg) alloys. Several experimental studies have reported that the Hall-Petch slope strongly depends on the texture of the alloy. This effect arises from altering grain boundaries (GBs) resistance to different slip systems to transfer across adjacent grains. The grain boundary barrier strength of certain grain boundaries to basal slip, referred to as basal micro-Hall-Petch, was investigated in the previous work. In this study, the micro-Hall-Petch coefficient values for the prismatic slip (k(mu)(pr)(ismat)(ic)) in Mg-4Al and their correlation with the grain boundary parameters were investigated. An experimental method was developed to initiate the prismatic slip band at low-stress levels. High-resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD) was used to measure the residual stress tensor, from which the resolved shear stress ahead of blocked prismatic slip bands was computed for seven different grain boundaries. k(mu)(pr)(ismat)(ic) values for each individual GB were calculated by coupling the stress profile information with a continuum dislocation pile-up model. The k(mu)(pr)(ismat)(ic) values vary from 0.138 MPa.m(1/2) to 0.685 MPa.m(1/2) which are almost three times larger than the calculated values for the basal micro-Hall-Petch. The k(mu)(pr)(ismat)(ic) values were correlated with the GB parameters, and a functional relationship depending on the two most effective angles, the angle between the traces of the slip planes on the GB plane (theta) and the angle between incoming and outgoing slip directions (kappa), was proposed to estimate the Hall-Petch barrier for prismatic slip system. The work provides coefficients that can be supplied as input to crystal plasticity models to couple the effect of texture and grain size effectively. (C) 2021 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigates the micro-Hall-Petch coefficient values for prismatic slip in Mg-4Al alloys and their correlation with grain boundary parameters. The results show that the k(mu)(pr)(ismat)(ic) values vary significantly among different grain boundaries and are larger than the values for basal micro-Hall-Petch. A functional relationship based on two effective angles is proposed to estimate the Hall-Petch barrier for prismatic slip system.