Enhanced diffusion in α-brass during cyclic straining; frequency effects

Abstract

Strips of α-brass (30% Zn) were subjected to cyclic straining within the elastic limit at 95°c at frequencies from 2 to 20 c.p.s. The resistivity decreased noticeably for about 10³ sec, the higher the frequency the greater being the decrease. The results are analysed on the basis of a model proposed earlier in that jogs on dislocations evaporate equal numbers of vacancies and interstitials which either return to the dislocations or annihilate each other. This model predicts several characteristics, such as the change of the resistivity decrease with time, the saturation resistivity versus frequency, the behaviour of the rate constant with frequency and the effect of initial treatment of the sample. All of these predictions are confirmed by the experiments.