Grain size dependence of grain rotation under high pressure and high temperature

Grain rotation caused by the movement of dislocations is a determinant factor for the mechanical behavior of metals. In general, the grain rotation may be mediated by grain boundary dislocations (GB-dis) and intragranular dislocations (In-dis), which are closely associated with grain size. Few works have investigated how grain size depends on grain rotation, and the competitive mechanism between GB-dis and In-dis remains unclear. The present work investigates the structural evolution and deformation of coarse-grained tungsten under high pressure. The results show that under high pressure, the nano-sized grains preferentially rotate with dislocation climbing in GBs. Under high pressure, In-dis migrate faster across coarse grains and are absorbed by GBs on the other side, resulting in grain rotation. Elevated temperature also facilitates the migration of In-dis to arrive GBs where they can be absorbed by GBs, thus promoting grain rotation. The theoretical results show that grain rotation occurs easily under high pressure and high temperature. With increasing grain size, the stress-induced rotation mechanism goes from being dominated by GB-dis to being dominated by In-dis migration. The competitive relationship between GB-dis and In-dis during grain rotation is elaborated, providing a new strategy for designing materials under high pressure.