Shock-induced deformation twinning and omega transformation in tantalum and tantalum–tungsten alloys Original Research Article

Effects of high strain-rate and high plastic-strain deformation on the development of deformation substructures in tantalum and tantalum–tungsten alloys (Ta–2.5 wt.% W and Ta–10 wt.% W) shocked at 15 and 45 GPa have been investigated. In addition to dislocation cells/walls, and {112}<111>-type deformation twinning, a shock-induced omega phase (hexagonal) is also found within polycrystalline tantalum shocked at 45 GPa. The orientation relationships between the omega phase and parent (bcc) matrix are {101̄0}h‖{211}b,[0001]h‖<111>b and <12̄10>h‖<01̄1>b. The lattice parameters of omega phase are ah≈2ab=0.468 nm and ch≈(3/2)ab=0.286 nm (ch/ah=0.611). Since both deformation twinning and omega transformation occur preferably in the {211}b planes with high resolved shear stresses, it is suggested that both can be considered as alternative paths for shear transformations in shock-deformed tantalum. A greater volume fraction of twin and omega phase formed in Ta–W than in pure Ta reveals that shock-induced shear transformations can be promoted by solid solution alloying. While deformation twinning is resulted from 1/6<11̄1̄> homogeneous shear in consecutive {211} planes, omega transformation can be attributed to the 1/12<11̄1̄>, 1/3<11̄1̄> and 1/12<11̄1̄> inhomogeneous shear in consecutive {211} planes. Dislocation mechanisms for shock-induced twinning and omega transformation are proposed and critically discussed.