A multi-scale characterization of deformation twins in Ti6Al4V sheet material deformed by simple shear

Ti6Al4V sheet material is subjected to simple shear deformation with strain ratioʹs of 10%, 30% and 50%. Optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques are applied to study the presence and morphology of deformation twins. Only the 1   0   1   ¯ 2 type of twins seems to be present with a volume fraction below 1%. These 1   0   1   ¯ 2 twins show a high density of basal stacking faults of the …ABABACAC… type identified using atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy. A resolved shear stress analysis shows that twins most often occur on those planes with the highest resolved shear stresses, but that the starting texture is not beneficial for the occurrence of twins. It is further suggested that a transitory strain hardening regime observed around 530 MPa might be related with the onset of twinning.