Dissemination of IT for the Promotion of Materials Science (DoITPoMS)

DoITPoMS Teaching & Learning Packages Slip in Single Crystals Slip in HCP metals 1: slip systems
Slip in Single Crystals AimsBefore you startIntroductionSlip geometry: the critical resolved shear stressGeometry during slipSlip in HCP metals 1: slip systemsSlip in HCP metals 2: application of Schmid's LawSlip in HCP metals 3: calculation of forcesSlip in HCP metals 4: observing slip in cadmiumVideo clips of slip in a single cadmium crystalExercise: Determination of the critical resolved shear stress for slip in cadmiumSlip in CCP metalsSummaryQuestionsGoing further
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Slip in HCP metals 1: slip systems

In hexagonal close packed (h.c.p.) metals, such as cadmium, slip occurs in <100> type directions on {001} type planes. These correspond to the close packed directions in the close packed planes.

Examination of the crystal structure (see the diagram below) shows that there is only one distinct lattice plane of the {001} type, i.e. (001). There are three distinct <100> directions lying in this (001) plane: [100], [010] and [110]. Hence, the h.c.p. structure exhibits three distinct slip systems. The h.c.p structure has only two independent slip systems, since any slip on [110](001) can be described entirely as a combination of slip on [100](001) and [010](001).

Diagram of h.c.p. crystal structure

Hexagonal close packed crystals slip on <100>{001} slip systems. This diagram shows a 2x2 array of unit cells projected onto the (001) plane. The three slip directions lying in the plane are shown as blue arrows.

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