Interaction between Crystal Slip and Grain Boundary Movement

Abstract

SEVERAL workers have shown that when polycrystalline metals are made to creep, that is, to deform at an elevated temperature, the grain boundaries move in a direction more or less perpendicular to themselves, just as when grain growth occurs¹. This is migration of the boundaries, as distinct from the sliding movement, which also occurs during creep, of one grain past another. Some recent measurements show that the amount of movement is a function of the applied stress. An explanation of this is put forward here which involves an interaction between crystal slip and movement at boundaries.