Structural Relaxation and Properties of Planar Defects in Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Metals

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The grant explores the physical properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline metals with emphasis on the relaxation of shear bands and grain boundaries respectively in these materials. The objective is to modify the relaxation state of these defects by thermal treatment. The goal is to characterize the structural changes using the state-of-the-art transmission electron microscopy including high-resolution imaging and energy filtering. The materials will be processed using electrodeposition and ball milling techniques. Various properties such as the stored enthalpy, stability, hardness, strain-rate sensitivity and diffusion behavior will be evaluated.The results from the grant are expected to contribute to the fundamental understanding of the structure of shear bands and nanograin boundaries, modification of this structure, and the resulting property changes. These will contribute to the knowledge base for structuralapplications of amorphous and nanocrystalline metals such as in MEMS and NEMS technologies. The grant helps to educate and train graduate students in state-of-the-art electron microscopy and property characterization of structural materials.