Kyle passed his proposal defense! Many Congratulations!
His research title is “Unifying Size-Dependent Dislocation Plasticity at the Microscale Using a Finite-Size Scaling (FSS) Framework“.
The aim of the proposed research is to analyze size-dependent dislocation plasticity using FSS concepts to provide a unifying framework that describes size-dependent plasticity at the microscale. This methodology allows for the systematic characterization of strain hardening and provides a model to estimate flow stress beyond the yielding limit. Moreover, the FSS framework enables the generation of stress-strain curves for micropillars of different sizes, allowing prediction of a statistically averaged response across a broad microscale size range. Beyond the scientific significance of the phenomena, size-dependent plasticity is also directly relevant to technologies operating at micron and nano scales, including micro- and nano- electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS), nanostructured thin films, irradiated materials, and additively manufactured materials with fine-scale microstructures. The results of this work will provide important insights into the fundamental understanding of dislocation plasticity, as well as a powerful predictive tool for designing micro-/nano-scale devices with reliable performance.