Diffusion-controlled creep in nanostructured materials, under conditions of concurrent grain growth, was considered. The Nabarro–Herring and Coble mechanisms were re-considered in order to calculate the effect of vacancy generation upon creep. Strain-rate variations that resembled primary and secondary creep behavior were predicted.

Diffusion-Controlled Creep in Nanocrystalline Materials under Grain Growth. Y.Estrin, G.Gottstein, L.S.Shvindlerman: Scripta Materialia, 2004, 50[7], 993-7