• Corpus ID: 246063725

A nanomechanical testing framework yielding front&rear-sided, high-resolution, microstructure-correlated SEM-DIC strain fields

@inproceedings{Vermeij2022ANT,
  title={A nanomechanical testing framework yielding front\&rear-sided, high-resolution, microstructure-correlated SEM-DIC strain fields},
  author={Tijmen Vermeij and Jorn Verstijnen and Tim Ramirez y Cantador and Beno{\^i}t Blaysat and Jan Neggers and J. P. M. Hoefnagels},
  year={2022}
}

• T. Vermeij, Jorn Verstijnen, +3 authors J. Hoefnagels
• Published 18 January 2022
• Materials Science

The continuous development of new multiphase alloys with improved mechanical properties requires quantitative microstructure-resolved observation of the nanoscale deformation mechanisms at, e.g., multiphase interfaces. This calls for a combinatory approach beyond advanced testing methods such as microscale strain mapping on bulk material and micrometer sized deformation tests of single grains. We propose a nanomechanical testing framework that has been carefully designed to integrate several state-of-the-art testing and characterization methods, including: (i) well-defined nano-tensile testing of carefully selected and isolated multiphase specimens, (ii) front&rear-sided SEM-EBSD microstructural characterization combined with front&rear-sided in-situ SEM-DIC testing at very high resolution enabled by a recently developed InSn nano-DIC speckle pattern, (iii) optimized DIC strain mapping aided by application of SEM scanning artefact correction and DIC deconvolution for improved spatial resolution, (iv) a novel microstructure-to-strain alignment framework to deliver front&rear-sided, nanoscale, microstructure-resolved strain fields, and (v) direct comparison of microstructure, strain and SEM-BSE damage maps in the deformed configuration. Demonstration on a micrometer-sized dual-phase steel specimen, containing an incompatible ferrite-martensite interface, shows how the nanoscale deformation mechanisms can be unraveled. Discrete lath-boundaryaligned martensite strain localizations transit over the interface into diffuse ferrite plasticity, revealed by the nanoscale front&rear-sided microstructure-to-strain alignment and optimization of DIC correlations. The proposed testing and alignment framework yields front&rear-sided aligned microstructure and strain fields providing 3D interpretation of the deformation and opening new opportunities for unprecedented validation of advanced multiphase simulations.