Correlations between hardness and atomic bond parameters of pure metals and semi-metals after processing by high-pressure torsion

High-purity elements (magnesium, aluminum, silicon, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, germanium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, palladium, silver, indium, tin, tellurium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, platinum, gold and lead) were processed by high-pressure torsion and subsequently evaluated by Vickers microhardness measurements. The hardness at the steady state was expressed as a unique function of atomic bond energy, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat of fusion, linear thermal expansion coefficient and activation energy for self-diffusion.