Our results show that the surface-segregation-induced composition variations act as the source of strain/stress that drives the nucleation and migration of misfit dislocations, and demonstrate how ...

measurements of the energetics and kinetics of dislocation nucleation have not been possible, as synthesizing and testing pristine crystals absent of defects has been prohibitively challenging.

Li and his team modeled tiny bits of gold and copper to investigate the probabilistic nature of surface dislocation nucleation. The study showed that the activation volume associated with surface ...

The nucleation of this dislocation pattern is what determines the peak strength of materials, the researchers report. The finding could open the door to producing stronger, more ductile metals ...

The results were published in PNAS ("Nanoscale precipitates as sustainable dislocation sources for enhanced ductility and high strength"). Nucleation of screw dislocations at nanoprecipitate-matrix ...

Li and his team modeled tiny bits of gold and copper to investigate the probabilistic nature of surface dislocation nucleation. The study showed that the activation volume associated with surface ...

Nucleation occurs at a partial dislocation in the surface layer. Colors refer to the breaking of local inversion symmetry. (Image: Physical Review Letters and Ju Li, Department of Materials Science in ...