Fundamental mechanisms of discontinuous deformation in metals for cryogenic-environment applications

Kim, Y. S.*; Kang, T.*; Hong, S.-K.*; Brechtl, J.*; Lebyodkin, M.*; Cheng, Y.-H.*; Huang, E.-W.*; Liaw, P. K.*; Harjo, S.; Gong, W.; et al.

Acta Materialia, 292, p.120970_1 - 120970_16, 2025/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2025.120970

Metallic materials can exhibit low-temperature serrated deformation (LTSD) at cryogenic temperatures, potentially causing sudden failures. Understanding LTSD is thus crucial for ensuring material reliability in such environments. LTSD has been explained by two main mechanisms: (i) dislocation-based mechanical instability and (ii) thermomechanical instability, but each has limitations when considered alone. To address this, we propose a new LTSD mechanism, a thermally induced dislocation dynamics model, based on cryogenic experimental evidence. This model accounts for dislocation avalanches and localized heating, leading to hierarchical dislocation networks and transitions in deformation modes. A modified deformation-mechanism map for SS316L is also presented. Our findings highlight the rate-dependent nature of LTSD and negative strain-rate sensitivity, including the first observation of links between small stress fluctuations and large serrations.