Creep deformation in multilayered and microlaminate materials

Multilayered and microlaminate foils offer a convenient specimen geometry for studying creep deformation in fine-grained materials. Multilayered foils can have large total thicknesses, allowing for ease of handling and testing, while being composed of very small grains that can be controlled and maintained in the individual layers. Uniaxial creep studies have been performed on two model systems, metal/metal multilayers and metal/intermetallic multilayers, revealing both conventional and non-conventional behavior in these materials. These two studies demonstrate the benefits of studying creep deformation of multilayer materials through uniaxial tensile tests of free-standing specimens, specifically, the ability independently to vary temperature, applied stress, strain and grain size. Such techniques can be applied to a variety of metal/metal and metal/intermetallic systems and enable investigation into the high-temperature deformation of fine-grained materials.