Deformation mechanisms during compressive loading of tantalum and tantalum-2.5 weight percent tungsten

In this study it was attempted to understand the deformation behavior of tantalum and tantalum alloyed with 2.5 weight % tungsten. Uniaxial compressive deformation was carried out on polycrystalline Ta, Ta-2.5%W, and single crystal Ta. Experiments were carried out for a range of strain rates {dollar}rm(10sp{lcub}-4{rcub}/s{dollar} to 3000/s), and for a range of temperatures (77K, 296K-1000K). During high strain rate adiabatic plastic deformation of Ta-2.5%W, the energy converted to heat was directly measured using an infra-red method, and indirectly, using the recovery Hopkinson bar technique. It was concluded that within experimental error close to 100% of the work is converted to heat. During high strain rate deformation, the internal dislocation structure of both Ta and Ta-2.5%W was found to be independent of testing temperature. Thus the flow stress could be separated into two types of components, one type which are strain rate - temperature dependent and the other type which are only strain dependent. However, at lower strain rates prominent dynamic strain aging is observed and the effect of strain is coupled with the strain rate - temperature effect. At these lower strain rates, the evolution of structure does depend on the applied strain rate and temperature. When deformed at liquid nitrogen temperature, tantalum twins even at strain rates as low as 0.001/s. In the high strain rate - room temperature regime no twinning is observed. With the addition of tungsten to tantalum, the temperature and strain rate sensitivity of flow stress reduces. In addition to this, twinning is inhibited and occurs only at high strain rates - liquid nitrogen temperatures.; Experiments on single crystal tantalum carried out revealed that the temperature sensitivity of flow stress on the (211) (111) slip system is similar to that on the (101) (111) slip system. Further experiments carried out on single crystal tantalum to study latent hardening did show 10% latent hardening on the {dollar}{lcub}211{rcub}langle 111rangle{dollar} intersecting slip systems. This latent hardening was attributed to an increase in the athermal component of stress, leaving the thermal component of stress unchanged.