Evolution of interphase and intergranular stresses in Zr–2.5Nb during room temperature deformation

Both in situ tension and compression tests have been carried out on textured Zr–2.5Nb plate material at room temperature. Deformation along all the three principle plate directions has been studied and the evolution of interphase and intergranular strains along the loading and the principle Poissonʹs directions has been investigated by neutron diffraction. The evolution of interphase and intergranular strain was determined by the relative phase properties, crystal properties and texture distribution. The average phase behaviors are similar during tension and compression, where the β-phase in this material is stronger than the α-phase. The asymmetric yielding of the α-{0 0 0 2} grain family results in a relatively large intergranular strain in the loading direction during compression and different dependence of strength during tension and compression on texture. The combination of the thermal residual stress and the asymmetric CRSS in the 〈c〉 axis gives the {0 0 0 2} grain family a higher strength in compression than in tension.