ABSTRACTThe electrical resistivity as a function of temperature (4K to 673K) of several electrodeposited nanocrystalline materials (Ni, Ni-Fe, Co) has been examined. The contribution of the grain boundaries to the electrical resistivity was quantified in terms of a specific grain boundary resistivity, which was found to be similar to previously reported values of specific grain boundary resistivity for copper and aluminum obtained from studies involving polycrystalline materials. In the high temperature range, the resistivity of the nanocrystalline samples was monitored as a function of time. The observed time dependence of the resistivity at elevated temperatures was correlated to microstructural changes in the material. The study has shown that electrical resistivity is an excellent characterization tool for nanocrystalline materials giving useful information regarding grain size and degree of thermal stability, as well as some insight into the grain growth kinetics at various temperatures.
Interplay between grain boundary segregation and electrical resistivity in dilute nanocrystalline Cu alloys
