Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 February 2011
Recent studies of single crystals and bicrystals indicate that dislocations of the type a<011> are important, and may actually control, deformation at intermediate temperatures (above the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature) in hard-oriented NiAl. In the present work, the fine structure of a<011> dislocations has been examined using both high resolution and diffraction-contrast transmission electron microscopy. Evidence has been found for the decomposition of a<011> dislocations into two a<001> dislocations. The initial driving force for the decomposition is due to core effects, as revealed by molecular statics and dynamics Embedded Atom Method calculations. Additional decomposition occurs by a combination of climb and glide. A continuum-based dislocation model is introduced which incorporates these relevant microstructural features.