Influence of pressure on the microstructural evolution of Ta during shear deformation

The effect of high pressure on the mechanical behavior and accompanying microstructural evolution in Ta has been investigated. Thin-foil Ta samples were deformed while being subjected to pressures in the 1–5 GPa range in a modified opposed-anvil Bridgman apparatus. Examination of deformed microstructures revealed similar changes in texture in all samples, independent of pressure. However, dislocation structures are observed to change from entanglements to well-developed dislocation cells with increasing pressure. Dislocation dynamics simulations are used to explain the experimental results.