Abstract
Since the surface morphology of materials can be observed with atomic-scale resolution, scanning atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique to study mechanisms of fatigue and fracture of solid materials. In the present study, slip-band formation and fatigue crac-initiation processes in α-brass were observed by means of AFM. The depth of the intrusion drastically increased with its outgrowth to a crack. For crack-initiation from slip-band, the intrusion depth took a critical value, which is given as a function of the slip-band angle. For crack-initiation from grain boundary, however, stress concentration at grain boundary, which induced by pile-up of dislocations should be considered.
