Recent progress in improving ductility of ultra-high strength nanostructured metals

Until very recently, the reported tensile ductility of ultra-high strength nanocrystalline metals was disappointingly low. This article presents a brief overview of recent progress in identifying a group of nanostructured bulk elemental metals that offer not only gigapascal strength but also decent ductility. These include electrodeposited nanocrystalline or nano-twinned metals, and consolidated full-density nanocrystalline metals. Our own recent studies of these interesting nanomaterials, extending our previous/parallel success in optimizing the properties of bulk nanostructured metals prepared via severe plastic deformation, also demonstrated unprecedented tensile plastic strains.