Polycrystal deformation and single crystal deformation: dislocation structure and flow stress in copper

The relation between the polycrystal deformation and single crystal deformation has been studied for pure polycrystalline copper deformed in tension. The dislocation microstructure has been analyzed for grains of different orientation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and three types of microstructures have been identified. A correlation is found between microstructure and grain orientation, which agrees well with earlier observations in tensile deformed aluminum polycrystals and copper single crystals. The stress–strain curve of the copper polycrystal is calculated with good accuracy from single crystal data, which are weighted according to the volume fractions of the three different types based on a quantitative texture measurement of the polycrystal.