Low temperature plane strain compression of a magnesium single crystal with 〈c〉 axis constrained

Plane strain compression at low temperature requires single crystals to accommodate the strain using several deformation systems. Single crystals of magnesium compressed along 〈10−10〉 and with the (0001) 〈c〉 axis constrained were deformed at 150 and 250 °C. A combination of tensile twinning {10−11}, compression twinning {10−11} and double twinning {10−11}–{10−12} was observed by EBSD analysis. A crystal plasticity program succeeded to predict the complex deformation mechanisms observed in the experiments. At 250 °C recrystallization took place in double twins and the orientation of the new grains was rotated 30° around the 〈c〉 axis of the initial twin.