Slip pattern, microstructure and local crystallography in an aluminium single crystal of brass orientation {110}⟨112⟩

The evolution of microstructure and local crystallography has been examined in pure Al single crystals of {110}[112] orientation (brass or B-orientation) deformed by channel die compression at room temperature to logarithmic strains of epsilon = 0.5 and epsilon = 1.5. A homogeneous cell block deformation microstructure is seen at the low strain. At higher strain the cell blocks are less distinct and some evidence of strain localisation is observed. A shallow texture gradient is seen, corresponding to a lattice rotation about [101] and consistent with slip occuring on just the two most highly stressed slip systems. However an analysis using the Frank formula of the dislocation content for some of the observed boundaries suggests that a significant amount of slip takes place on systems not predicted by a plasticity analysis. This unpredicted slip stabilises the dislocation walls on planes other than those predicted using the Frank formula.