Asymmetric slip trace formation in tension/compression cyclic deformation of biomedical Co–Cr–Mo–N alloy with negative stacking fault energy

Surface relief formation of a biomedical Co–Cr–Mo–N (CCMN) alloy under tension/compression cyclic deformation has been investigated by in situ optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and electron backscattering diffraction analysis. The formation of slip traces exhibited tension/compression asymmetry, resulting in unique surface reliefs. This is attributed to the motion of isolated Shockley partial dislocations in the metastable γ-face-centered cubic phase, in which the stacking fault energy is negative.