The influence of peak stress on the mechanical behavior and the substructural evolution in shock-prestrained zirconium

The post shock mechanical behavior and substructure evolution of zirconium (Zr) under shock prestrained at 5.8 and 8 GPa, above and below the pressure induced α-ω phase transition, has been quantified. The reload yield stress of Zr shock prestrained to 8 GPa was found to exhibit enhanced shock hardening when compared to the flow stress measured quasi-statically at an equivalent strain. In contrast, the reload yield behavior of Zr specimens shocked to 5.8 GPa did not exhibit enhanced shock hardening. The microstructure of the as-annealed and shock prestrained materials were examined. The presence of a reduced available glide distance due to a relatively more well developed dislocation substructure and increased twinning over quasi-static specimens deformed to comparable strains correlates with the increased yield stresses after shock prestraining at 8 GPa. Additionally, the retention of ∼ 40% by volume metastable high-pressure ω-phase in specimens shocked to 8 GPa and its absence in the 5.8 GPa specimen, is thought to contribute to the increased yield stress in the 8 GPa specimens