Cellular dislocation substructure in polycrystals of FCC solid solutions: quantitative characteristics, laws of formation, and role in hardening

A cycle of investigations carried out by the authors and devoted to the most important cellular dislocation substructure is generalized. Laws of formation of this substructure upon plastic strain of FCC Cu–Mn and Cu–Al alloy polycrystals are considered. The influence of the grain size, strain temperature, and alloy concentration on the parameters of evolving cellular dislocation substructures (DSS) is quantitatively analyzed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) method. Special attention is given to the kinetic phase transition in the defect subsystem leading to the formation of the cellular DSS. Based on modern dislocation models, it is demonstrated that hardening by the cellular DSS obeys the main dislocation laws.