Pyramidal I slip in c-axis compressed Mg single crystals

Pyramidal I slip was observed to be the dominant slip mode in magnesium single crystals compressed quasistatically along c-axis at room temperature. The slip trace angles resulted from pyramidal I and pyramidal II slips projected on (0 - 1 1 0) and (2 - 1 - 1 0) surfaces were initially calculated, and then measured on 3% deformed magnesium single crystals. The measured angles indicate the prevalence of pyramidal I slip ({10-11}<11-23> with the critical resolve shear stress of 54 MPa). The pyramidal slip traces are dense but very fine, suggesting limited dislocation activities. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.