Size effect on deformation of duralumin micropillars – A dislocation dynamics study

  Two-dimensional dislocation dynamics simulations are used to study precipitate strengthening effects in duralumin micropillars. The results show that a refined microstructure may resist and slow down the movement of dislocations inside the confined volume, leading to hardening and a weak dependence of strength on size. This study illustrates that the deformation behavior of small crystals is controlled by the combined effect of the internal length scale and the external size of the crystal.