Anomalous basal slip activity in zirconium under high-strain deformation

In this letter, we reveal anomalous basal slip activity in zirconium under high strains. The frequently reported classical rolling texture of Zr is shown to develop as a result of substantial amounts of basal slip. The reason is not that physical barriers to basal slip have become easier but that over a large straining period, easy prismatic<a>slip has significantly strain-hardened and crystallographic texture has evolved to be more favorable for basal slip. Basal slip is, therefore, an important deformation mechanism in Zr at room temperature under high to severe strain-deformation conditions.