A theoretical model was suggested that described the generation of deformation twins at grain boundaries in nanocrystalline metals. Within the model, a thick twin lamella in a nanoscale grain was generated due to stress-driven emission of twinning dislocations from a grain boundary. The lamella consisted of overlapping stacking faults. The results account for experimental data on observation of deformation twins in nanocrystalline Al and Cu reported in the literature.

Generation of Deformation Twins in Nanocrystalline Metals - Theoretical Model. M.Y.Gutkin, I.A.Ovidko, N.V.Skiba: Physical Review B, 2006, 74[17], 172107 (4pp)