A TEM in situ study of alloying effects in iron. II-Solid solution hardening caused by high concentrations of Si and Cr

The hardening effect of a high concentration of substitutional solute atoms in iron has been investigated by means of in situ straining experiments in FeSi and FeCr alloys, between 100 and 300 K. The results show that both screw and edge dislocations interact with solute atoms. This interaction is, however, strongest on screw dislocations, as a result of the formation of superjogs in the vicinity of solute atoms. Under such conditions, hardening takes place above a transition temperature for which the local pinning at superjogs becomes stronger than the Peierls friction stress.