Effect of Sn content and texture on the twinning behaviour of Zr-Sn binary alloys at low temperature

The present study is concerned with the twinning behaviour of Zr-Sn alloys at low temperature as a function of Sn content and starting texture. Zr-Sn samples, with Sn contents in the range of 0.33-2.9 wt. % and with different initial textures were subjected to uniaxial compression tests at −80 °C. Sn was found to enhance the {101¯2}101¯1¯ type of deformation twinning and the extent of its effect on promoting this type of twinning was observed to be texture dependent. The influence of Sn in promoting twinning was seen to be stronger when the texture of the samples was relatively less favourable for the twinning.