Network of porosity formed in ultrafine-grained copper produced by equal channel angular pressing

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Apr 24;102(16):165501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.165501. Epub 2009 Apr 20.

Abstract

Radiotracer experiments on diffusion of 63Ni and 86Rb in severely deformed commercially pure copper (8 passes of equal channel angular pressing) reveal unambiguously the existence of ultrafast transport paths. A fraction of these paths remains in the material even after complete recrystallization. Scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam techniques are applied. Deep grooves are found which are related to original high-energy interfaces. In-depth sectioning near corresponding triple junctions reveals clearly multiple microvoids or microcracks caused by the severe deformation. Long-range tracer penetration over tens of micrometers proves that these submicrometer-large defects are connected by highly diffusive paths and that they appear with significant frequency.