Columns formed by multiple twinning in nickel layers-An approach of grain boundary engineering by electrodeposition

Complementary microscopic and diffraction based methods revealed a peculiar microstructure of electrodeposited nickel. For the as-deposited layer, thus, without any additional treatment, multiple twinning yields a high population of Sigma 3(n) boundaries, which interrupts the network of normal high angle grain boundaries. A peculiar arrangement of Sigma 3 boundaries forming five-fold junctions is observed. The resulting microstructure meets the requirements for grain boundary engineering. Twinning induced effects on the crystallographic orientation of grains result in one major texture component being a < 210 > fiber axis and additional minor orientations originating from first and second generation twins of < 210 >, i.e., < 542 > and < 20 2 1 >. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.