Deformation mechanism in nanocrystalline Al: Partial dislocation slip

The study discusses experimental observation of a deformation mechanism in nanocrystalline face-centered-cubic Al, partial dislocation emission from grain boundaries, which consequently resulted in deformation stacking faults (SF) and twinning. All observed partial dislocation pairs form compact screw dislocations after combining. The deformation mechanism demonstrates that when the size scale is reduced down to the nano range, nature facilitate deformation via mechanisms that are not accessible at conventional length scale.