Intrinsic and extrinsic size effects on deformation in nanolayered Cu/Zr micropillars: From bulk-like to small-volume materials behavior

By using microcompression methodology, deformation of nanolayered Cu/Zr micropillars was systematically investigated within wide ranges of intrinsic layer thickness (5–100 nm) and extrinsic sample size (300–1200 nm). The intrinsic size effect, extrinsic size effect and their interplay were respectively revealed. Competition between the intrinsic and extrinsic size effects leads to experimental observation of a critical layer thickness of ∼20 nm, above which the deformation is predominantly intrinsic-size-related and insensitive to sample size, while below which the two size effects are comparable. The underlying deformation mechanisms were proposed to transform from bulk-like to small-volume materials behavior. Deformation mode is correspondingly transited from homogeneous extrusion/barreling to inhomogeneous shear banding, but the two competing modes coexist in the layer thickness range from ∼50 to 20 nm. In the regime of shear deformation, the extrinsic size dependence is displayed in that the deformation was controlled by shear bands nucleation in larger pillars while controlled by shear bands propagation in smaller pillars. A deformation mode map is developed to clearly elucidate the coupling intrinsic and extrinsic size effects on the deformation mode of nanolayered pillars.