In-situ Studies on the Mechanical Properties of He Ion Irradiated Nanotwinned Ag

Abstract Recent studies show that twin boundaries are effective defect sinks in eliminating radiation-induced defects. However, the influence of radiation-induced defects on the mechanical behavior of nanotwinned (NT) materials is less well understood. In this study, we investigate the mechanical properties of He ion irradiated NT Ag. In-situ micropillar compression tests show that deformation induces prominent detwinning in as-deposited NT Ag, whereas He ion irradiation alleviates detwinning during deformation of NT Ag. The radiation hardening mechanism and the influence of He bubbles on the deformation behavior of NT Ag are discussed.