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1773458 
Journal Article 
The ubiquitous Beilby layer on aluminium surfaces 
Scamans, GM; Frolish, MF; Rainforth, WM; Zhou, Z; Liu, Y; Zhou, X; Thompson, GE 
2010 
1 
Surface and Interface Analysis
ISSN: 0142-2421
EISSN: 1096-9918 
42 
4 
175-179 
WOS:000276781800003 
In 1996, it was found that the Beilby layer on rolled
aluminium sheet could be imaged in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) on ultramicrotomed
cross sections of the sheet surface. Following from this observation, we have examined Beilby
layers on all types of aluminium surfaces that have been subject to high shear processing
treatments such as rolling, grinding or machining. The layers are microcrystalline rather than
amorphous, and they strongly influence properties like corrosion resistance and reflectance.
Preferential precipitation in these deformed surface layers results in their electrochemical
activation and it is responsible for the development of underfilm corrosion in most architectural
and automotive alloys. More recently, it has been possible to directly image Beilby layers on
ultramicrotomed stubs using the new generation of low kilovoltage high-resolution scanning
electron microscopes and to carry out high-resolution TEM of sections cut from precisely located
surface features. The paper presents an overview of all the recent investigations of high shear
induced Beilby layers on aluminium alloys and discusses their control of surface properties.
Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 
aluminium; shear; deformed layer; corrosion