In-Situ Analysis

Robust thermal stability of BaTiO₃-Au (oxide-metal) VAN thin film demonstrated via ex situ XRD, TEM and in situ TEM heating.

Stable optical properties at high temperature including localized surface plasmon resonance and hyperbolic dispersion.

Direct observation of dynamic work hardening event in nanocrystalline nickel by in situ transmission electron microscope nanoindentations.

Abundant Lomer-Cottrell (L-C) locks formed both within nanograins and against twin boundaries during strain hardening stage.

L-C locks formed within grains were removed at higher stress by mobile dislocations.

L-C locks when encountered twin boundaries can lead to even greater work hardening.

The hardness measured perpendicular to the twin interfaces is .40% higher than that measured parallel to the twin interfaces by in situ TEM nanoindentations.

During deformation, a certain portion of the twin structures reversed contrast and variations of the width of twin boundaries were observed during the loading and unloading process.

The Al₂O₃:ZrO₂:MgAl₂O₄ (AZM) nanocomposites undergo the deformation mainly through the grain-boundary sliding and rotation of small grains, i.e. ZrO₂ grains, and some of the large grains, i.e. MgAl₂O₄ grains.

Both plastic and elastic deformations were observed in different sample regions at room temperature.

In certain areas where several large grains (Al₂O₃ and MgAl₂O₄) were surrounded by many small grains (ZrO₂), the region mainly went through elastic deformation due to the strong grain activities in the small ZrO₂ grains.

In other regions where mainly the hard Al₂O₃ and soft MgAl₂O₄ grains exist, a certain amount of plastic deformation was observed and the grains undergo a series of grain rotation, grain boundary sliding, and realignment.