In-Situ Neutron Diffraction Study of the Bauschinger Effect in B2 Structured CoZr

A combination of in-situ neutron diffraction and elastoplastic self-consistent (EPSC) modeling have been used to elucidate the role played by intergranular stresses in the Bauschinger effect in B2 structured CoZr at room temperature and 423 K (150 °C). It is shown that, when insufficient slip modes are present to accommodate arbitrary strains, the large intergranular stresses built up due to inhomogeneous plastic deformation are responsible for the observed Bauschinger effect. Upon the onset of secondary deformation mechanism(s), the stresses are more uniformly distributed among the grains and the influence of intergranular stresses on the Bauschinger effect diminishes. On the other hand, it is speculated that the contribution of intragranular (dislocation-based) stresses is responsible for the persistent Bauschinger effect past the transition point. Similar results are obtained at both room temperature and 423 K (150 °C), and while the yield strength decreases with temperature, the high-temperature stress-strain curve progressively becomes harder than the room temperature one. In light of this, the previously characterized yield strength anomaly in CoZr has been re-examined.