In situ visualization of long-range defect interactions at the edge of melting.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34261647.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abe8311 and PMC identifier 8279502.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Connecting a bulk material's microscopic defects to its macroscopic properties is an age-old problem in materials science. Long-range interactions between dislocations (line defects) are known to play a key role in how materials deform or melt, but we lack the tools to connect these dynamics to the macroscopic properties. We introduce time-resolved dark-field x-ray microscopy to directly visualize how dislocations move and interact over hundreds of micrometers deep inside bulk aluminum. With real-time movies, we reveal the thermally activated motion and interactions of dislocations that comprise a boundary and show how weakened binding forces destabilize the structure at 99% of the melting temperature. Connecting dynamics of the microstructure to its stability, we provide important opportunities to guide and validate multiscale models that are yet untested.