Kink (materials science)

Pure-edge and screw dislocations are conceptually straight in order to minimize its length, and through it, the strain energy of the system.

Both the total length of the dislocation and the kink angle are dependent on the free energy of the system.

[2] Kinks facilitate the movement of dislocations along its glide plane under shear stress, and is directly responsible for plastic deformation of crystals.

Higher thermal energy assists in the generation of kinks, as well as increasing atomic vibrations and promoting dislocation motion.

Kinks may also form under compressive stress due to the buckling of crystal planes into a cavity.

The shape of the kink changes depending on the energy peak. On the top, a large energy peak creates a sharp kink transition. On the bottom, a smaller energy peak creates a wider and more gradual transition.