A new plastic-flow mechanism, observed during in situ transmission electron microscopic deformation of Cu-Nb continuous multi-filamentary nanostructured composites, was considered. The mechanism was explained in terms of dislocation loops which nucleated in closely-spaced parallel planes in the Cu channels. This clarified many previous observations of such composites; such as semi-coherency of the interface and a 4° misorientation between the 2 phases. Modelling of the loop mechanism predicted the strength of Cu-Nb nanocomposites. A very good agreement between the model and experimental data suggested that the assumptions, based on in situ observations, were valid.

High-Strength Materials – in situ Investigations of Dislocation Behaviour in Cu-Nb Multi-Filamentary Nanostructured Composites. L.Thilly, M.Véron, O.Ludwig, F.Lecouturier, J.P.Peyrade, S.Askénazy: Philosophical Magazine A, 2002, 82[5], 925-42