Topology and evolution of dislocation structures mediated by glissile reactions in face-centered cubic metals

The strength and hardening of metallic materials are dictated by the motion and interactions of dislocations. Individual dislocations intersect, react, and frequently form junctions, defining a defect topology that is the basis of subsequent deformation. While immobilized dislocation locks are intuitively considered as potent strengthening structures, simulations suggest that glissile reactions are a predominant contributor to hardening among the four types of dislocation reactions in face-centered cubic crystals, even though the resulting dislocations are inherently mobile. To date, the prevailing understanding of glissile reactions has been primarily based on classical geometric models of perfect dislocations and simulations thereof. Understandings of the reaction pathways and detailed experimental characterization of glissile reactions are lacking, leaving the potential topological variations shrouded in mystery. This study details molecular dynamics simulations of glissile reaction involving dissociated partial dislocations, and the direct experimental characterization of the dislocation configurations resulting from glissile reactions in deformed pure aluminum using transmission electron microscopy. The experimentally-determined structure was reconstructed in 3D and parametrically studied in discrete dislocation dynamics simulations, revealing varying topological evolutions under different loading conditions. Further statistical analyses on an ensemble of simulated dislocations revealed the essential role of stress states and cross-slip in affecting the probability of glissile reaction and the fraction of mobile dislocation nodes. These findings point to avenues for the development of dislocation-based constitutive theories of plasticity.