Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 February 2011
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been employed to examine the role of dislocations in the superplastic deformation of a duplex stainless steel. In particular, matrix, grain boundary and interphase interface dislocation distributions have been documented after testing in region II. It is concluded that dislocation activity is of importance during superplastic flow and both loop sources and dislocation pile-ups have been observed. The presence of highly distorted dislocation arrays also suggests that grain and interphase boundary sliding is intimately linked to the motion of grain and interphase boundary dislocations. Finally, it is argued that dislocation multiplication in interphase interfaces can involve the operation of loop sources.