Experimental observations of a deformation mechanism in nanocrystalline face-centered-cubic Al: partial dislocation emission from grain boundaries, which consequently resulted in deformation stacking faults and twinning were reported. These results were surprising because partial dislocation emission from grain boundaries had not been experimentally observed (although it was predicted by simulations) and deformation stacking faults and twinning had not been reported in Al, due to its high stacking-fault energy.

Deformation Mechanism in Nanocrystalline Al - Partial Dislocation Slip. X.Z.Liao, F.Zhou, E.J.Lavernia, S.G.Srinivasan, M.I.Baskes, D.W.He, Y.T.Zhu: Applied Physics Letters, 2003, 83[4], 632-4