The study of grain boundary density effect on multi-grain thin film under tension

The grain-size effect on the yield strength and strain hardening of thin film at sub-micron and nanometer scale closely relates to the interactions between grain boundary and dislocation. Based on higher-order gradient plasticity theory, we have systematically investigated the size effect of multi-grain thin film arising from the grain boundary density under tensile stress. The developed formulations employing dislocation density and slip resistance have been implemented into the finite element program, in which grain boundary is treated as impenetrable interface for dislocations. The numerical simulation results reasonably show that plastic hardening rate and yield strength are linear to the grain boundary density of multi-grain thin film. The aspect ratio of grain size and orientation of slip system have distinct influence on the grain plastic properties. The research of slip system including homogeneous and nonhomogeneous distribution patterns reveals that the hardening effect of low-angle slip system is greater than that of high-angle slip system. The results agree well with the experimentally measured data and the solutions by discrete dislocation dynamics simulation.