Tensile Properties of <111>-Oriented Nanotwinned Cu with Different Columnar Grain Structures

Abstract

We performed tensile tests on highly <111>-oriented nanotwinned copper (nt-Cu) foils with different columnar grain structures. For a systematic study, we altered the microstructure of the foils by tuning the electroplating electrolyte and annealing temperatures under a nitrogen atmosphere. The results show that the yield strength ranges from 300 to 700 MPa, and elongation spans from 5% to 25%. Knowing the measured twin spacing and average grain size, and combining the confined layer slip with the Hall–Petch equation, we calculated the theoretical yield strength of the nt-Cu with different microstructures, and the theoretic values match the experiment results. Owing to the unique crystal orientation properties of <111>-oriented columnar grains, dislocations induced by slip are very limited. The Schmid factor of grains along the tensile axis direction is highly identical, so the plastic deformation is much more suitably explained by the Schmid factor model. Thus, we replace the Taylor factor with the Schmid factor in the slip model of nt-Cu.