Attractive dislocation intersections and work hardening in metals

Abstract

The behaviour of two intersecting dislocations in a stressed crystal is discussed in relation to the problem of work hardening. It is assumed that the crystal is elastically isotropic and the effects of changing the applied stress and the Burgers vectors of the dislocations are examined in detail. Quantitative estimates of the yield stress as a function of the dislocation distribution are made and compared with experimental results. It is deduced, qualitatively, that the mechanism is probably an important factor in describing the temperature dependance of the flow stress, the orientation dependence of work hardening, the Bauschinger effect and the formation of cell walls.