PREDICTING SLIP BEHAVIOR IN ALLOYS CONTAINING SHEARABLE AND STRONG PARTICLES

Deformation behavior is predicted by combining slip intensity calculat ions for shearable precipitates (delta') with critical particle size ( for dislocation shearing-to-looping transition) estimates for strong p recipitates (T1, S'). The deformation behavior of the microstructures correlates fairly well with the predictions. Calculations imply that s ignificant volume fractions of shearable phases affect the shearabilit y of strong precipitates. Although specific examples are drawn from Al -Li-Cu-Mg alloys, the general theory is applicable to most precipitati on-hardened alloys. The predictions of the mechanical behavior made fo r the various microstructures correlate well with the available data.