Insight into the deformation mechanisms of α-Fe at the nanoscale

In situ compression transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the deformation behavior of alpha-Fe nanoblades. The results showed an inhomogeneous deformation process, composed of a series of short displacement bursts and single large displacement bursts. The short displacement bursts were associated with the collective motion of dislocations within the specimen, whilst the large displacement bursts occurred through dislocation-assisted slip band formation nucleated from the surface of the nanoblades.