Role of internal stresses in co-deformed two-phase materials

The mechanical response of two-phase materials during plastic co-deformation is examined with a particular emphasis on the role of the internal stresses developed during deformation. A framework is developed to describe the accumulation of these internal stresses during plastic co-deformation in terms of a small number of physical parameters. This simplified framework is used to rationalize the observed behaviour of copper–chromium and copper–niobium two-phase materials in terms of their monotonic strain hardening rates, the response to changes in path (tension/compression) and their dimensional stability on heating.