Single crystals were stretched in the [11•0] direction in order to investigate deformation via non-basal slip. It was found that {11•2}<11•3> second-order pyramidal slip was activated in 3.5, 7.5 and 10.6at%Li alloys, and the yield stress exhibited an anomalous temperature dependence at 77 to 293K. The yield stress due to pyramidal slip decreased with increasing Li content. The deformation which resulted from pyramidal slip was investigated by observing slip bands. Narrow slip bands were formed at lower temperatures; just after yielding. The width of the slip bands at yielding increased continuously with increasing temperature, and covered the entire specimen surface at 293K. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that double cross-slip of (c + a) screw dislocations occurred more frequently during deformation at 293K than at 133K. Many a and c edge dislocations were also observed in crystals which were deformed at 293K. The deformation mechanism of the Mg-Li alloys was similar to that of Cd.

Non-Basal Slip in Magnesium-Lithium Alloy Single Crystals. S.Ando, H.Tonda: Materials Transactions, 2000, 41[9], 1188-91