Quasi-elastic strain fields in a lattice of SnSbCu alloy during creep

Apparent steady state creep of Sn 0.65 Sb 0.25 Cu 0.10 alloy is studied under different constant stresses ranging from 19.27 to 21.67 MPa near the transformation temperature ≅ 443 K . Analysis creep data in the quasi-steady state regime at 443 K reveals an anomalous creep behavior with a strain rate sensitivity parameter m changing from 0.15±0.01 to 0.33±0.01 which points to cross-slipping dislocation mechanism. The activation energy for creep deformation, Q s t , was determined to be 45.47±5.96 kJ/mole in the temperature region investigated. The experimental results obtained of Q s t are compared with those predicted by Friedel–Jaffe–Dorn and Escaig cross-slip models. The results indicated that the rate controlling dominant mechanism for creep regime is cross-slip of screw dislocations. X-ray and microstructural analysis supports that the relaxation of the internal lattice strain fields takes place during apparent steady state creep.