Controlling the high temperature deformation behavior and thermal stability of ultra-fine-grained W by re alloying

Abstract Due to their outstanding properties, ultra-fine-grained tungsten and its alloys are promising candidates be used in harsh environments, hence it is crucial understand high temperature behavior underlying deformation mechanisms. Therefore, advanced nanoindentation techniques were applied tungsten–rhenium up 1073 K. A continuous hardness decrease 0.2 $$T_{\text{m}}$$ T m rationalized by a still dominating effect of the Peierls stress. However, absence well-established effects Rhenium alloying, resulting reduced dependence strength for coarse-grained microstructures, was interpreted as an indication diminishing role kink-pair formation metals with sufficiently fine grain size. Despite slight growth W, dislocation–grain boundary interaction identified mechanism above . Interaction accommodation lattice dislocations boundaries affected diffusivity through alloying Re. Graphic abstract