Multiple deformation twinning occurred in deformed metals and alloys under suitable conditions; resulting in the formation of twin/matrix lamellar structures which acted as precursors of strain-induced structural refinement at the nm scale. Four possible mechanisms for nanoscale structural refinement via twin/matrix lamellae in various face-centered cubic metals were identified. These were the fragmentation of twin/matrix lamellae, the formation of secondary twins, twin–twin intersection and shear banding.

Nanoscale Structural Refinement via Deformation Twinning in Face-Centered Cubic Metals. N.R.Tao, K.Lu: Scripta Materialia, 2009, 60[12], 1039-43