Deformation twinning in a mild steel: Loading dependence and strengthening

Deformation twinning in a mild steel is investigated under quasi-isentropic compression (IC) and shock compression (SC) to about 12 GPa, as regards the effects of pulse duration (plateau width) and strain rate (rising edge slope), and associated twin strengthening. The pulse duration ranges from 80 ns to 790 ns; and two rise times are explored, approximately 30 ns for SC and 300 ns for IC. Free-surface velocity histories are measured to obtain strain and strain rate. The postmortem samples are characterized with electron backscatter diffraction, and the yield strengths of the samples pre-deformed by impact are examined with a materials testing system. For SC, twin density and size increase with pulse duration up to 580 ns. At longer pulse durations, the increase in twin density is stagnated as a result of deviatoric stress relaxation, while twin size continues growing. For IC (410 ns), twin density and size are much larger than the SC counterpart, as a result of shallower rising edge. Increased deformation time can compensate the effects of reduced strain rate or applied stress for deformation twinning. Twin strengthening effect is strong in postmortem samples, depends on twin density instead of area fraction, and follows the empirical Hall Petch relationship.