Though usually not considered to be Nanotechnology, modern structural metallic materials are in fact always Nanotechnology. The properties of such common construction materials as steel and aluminium are controlled by their microstructure. The microstructure comprises the spatial arrangement of individual atoms and of defects in the atomic structure. Especially mechanical properties of metallic materials are determined by the arrangement of defects in the crystallographic structure. The most important crystal defect for the mechanical properties is the so called dislocation. As discovered by Taylor, Orowan and Polanyi in 1934 it is the movement of dislocations that makes the plastic deformation of metals possible. The basics of plastic deformation are summarised in the first chapter of this work.
Matthias Goerdeler
Aluminium Flow stress Metallkunde Metallphysik Semi-finished products