Open questions

Abstract

Four areas requiring further research are introduced and possible PhD projects are identified. They are (i) workhardening, (ii) electroplasticity, (iii) mobility of dislocations and (iv) hydrogen-assisted cracking. In each case the topic is introduced and key questions are identified. Self-organised criticality and slip bands are considered in the discussion of work hardening. The impact of drag forces is considered in the discussionof dislocation mobility. Possible mechanisms for hyfrogen-assisted cracking include hydrogen-enhanced decohesion (HEDE), adsorption-induced dislocation emission (AIDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localised plasticity (HELP).