In situ TEM characterisation of dislocation interactions in α-titanium

Abstract

In situ straining in the transmission electron microscope and diffraction-contrast electron tomography has been applied to investigate dislocation interactions in α-Ti. Dislocation debris, in the form of small loops, was seen to form from sequential cross-slip events. Electron tomography provided direct three-dimensional visualisation of the dislocation structures, allowing accurate identification of slip planes, dislocation line directions and spatial relations between dislocations.

Keywords:

• Titanium
• transmission electron microscopy
• in situ electron microscopy
• dislocation interactions

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science [award number DEFG-02-07ER46443]; the microscopy was carried out in the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory Central Facilities, University of Illinois.