Single crystal and poly crystal metal

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Single crystal metals exhibit lower yield stress compared to polycrystalline materials due to the ease of dislocation movement in a single crystal structure. The Young's modulus can also vary significantly in different directions, indicating directional stiffness. The discussion highlights the limited applications of single crystal casting, primarily in fan blades and computer chips, due to high processing costs and the lack of comparative performance benefits in many scenarios. Participants express curiosity about the potential for single crystal structures in high-performance applications like MotoGP and F1, questioning why they are not more widely utilized. The removal of grain boundary creep in single crystals is noted as a mechanical advantage, but the economic feasibility remains a significant barrier to broader adoption.
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What difference would you observe about the yield stress, young modulus,etc if your material were a single crystal? Explain the difference.
 
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Please show your own work first. Also, it looks like this and your other questions would be a better fit in the homework forum.
 
my ans is:If the material were a single crystal, the yield stress would be lower. The dislocation could move easily because there is only 1 crystal. In addition, single crystal metals have directional stiffness. But I'm not sure about that
 
Sounds good. To fill this in further, I'd mention the relative difference between the yield stress and Young's modulus for the two types of samples (i.e., is \sigma_y half as much for a single crystal? A thousandth as much? Similarly, does the Young's modulus in different directions vary by a factor of two? A factor of a thousand?).
 
Thax, I'll think about it
 
I came to this forum to learn more about single crystal casting/properties/etc. Sooooo, instead of starting a new thread I will just continue this one.

Mapes said:
Sounds good. To fill this in further, I'd mention the relative difference between the yield stress and Young's modulus for the two types of samples (i.e., is \sigma_y half as much for a single crystal? A thousandth as much? Similarly, does the Young's modulus in different directions vary by a factor of two? A factor of a thousand?).
And the answer to this barrage was? I've taken my fair share of materials courses and the only time single crystals are brought up, it is just to discuss that they are used for fan blades. Or that processing is """expensive""" with no comparative examples.

Can single crystal structures be heat treated to different phases? If they have dislocations, this implies that they can be forged/annealed/work hardened/etc, no? How would the UTS and modulus in the preferred (maximum value) direction compare to a polycrystalline sample of the same dimensions?

I know cost is a big prohibitor, but why have we not seen single crystal casting methods used to create parts in applications like MotoGP, F1, and others? It seems that their only purpose is to make fan blades and computer chips.
 
Any help here? Seems like I couldn't find anything on my own for a reason...
 
The advantage of single crystals (in mechanics) is that grain boundary creep is removed as a creep mechanism. If grain boundary creep isn't the dominant cause of failure, then nobody's going to spend money to grow a single metal crystal part.
 
Mapes said:
The advantage of single crystals (in mechanics) is that grain boundary creep is removed as a creep mechanism. If grain boundary creep isn't the dominant cause of failure, then nobody's going to spend money to grow a single metal crystal part.
Seems to me like they could find a place in IC engines...if anyone knew more about them.
 
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