Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
In the present study, the strengthening effect of nano-scale twins in body-centered cubic (bcc) crystal was evaluated using micro-sized cantilever type specimen which contained the nanotwinned region (midrib) in ferrous lenticular martensite. The SEM observations of the micro-sized specimen after bending deformation indicated that midrib can act as barriers against dislocations, resulting in slip localization and non-localization across midrib. The load-displacement curve obtained by bending test showed that twin boundaries significantly enhance the critical resolved shear stress of bcc.