<i>In situ</i> neutron diffraction study on the deformation behavior of the plastic inorganic semiconductor Ag2S

Bulk Ag2S is a plastic inorganic semiconductor at room temperature. It exhibits compressive strain greater than 50%, which highly different from brittle conventional counterparts, such as silicon. Here, we present the experimental investigation of deformation behavior in using situ neutron diffraction during and elevated temperatures. At temperature, lattice partitioning among hkl-orientated grain families could be responsible for significant work-hardening bulk with monoclinic structure. The rapid accumulation defects remarkable development texture suggest that dislocation slip promotes plasticity. 453 K, phase transforms into body-centered cubic phase. A stress plateau appears ∼−4.8 MPa, followed by rehardening state. mode initial stage likely attributable to migration silver ions, increases, it closer leading rehardening.