In-situ neutron and synchrotron methods for the investigation of plastic deformation and annealing in metals

Following a crash course in neutron and synchrotron diffraction standards, applications are demonstrated on selected metallic systems, comprising the atomic order in titanium aluminide intermetallics at thermal and mechanical processing. High pressure torsion processed specimens show heterogeneous structure and order. Upon heating, their nanostructure evolves revealing regimes of recovery, recrystallization and grain growth, which can be exploited for engineering designated microstructures with enhanced physical and mechanical properties. Advanced analysis of two-dimensional diffractograms by synchrotron radiation allows to distinguish microstructure transformations as well as deformation mechanisms in thermo-mechanical processing. The methods are applicable to a wide range of materials and processes allowing to speed up materials development by orders of magnitude.