Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Chemistry / Inorganic Chemistry / Difference Between Slip and Twinning

Difference Between Slip and Twinning

February 12, 2021 Posted by Madhu

The key difference between slip and twinning is that during a slip, all atoms in a block move the same distance whereas, in twinning, the atoms in each successive plane in a block move through different distances that are proportional to their distance from the twinning plane.

Slip and twinning are two terms useful in material science.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Slip 
3. What is Twinning
4. Side by Side Comparison – Slip vs Twinning in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is a Slip?

Slip is the large displacement of one part of a crystal relative to another part along the crystallographic planes and directions. This term is used in the field of material science. A slip can occur by the passage of dislocations on close-packed planes. These are the planes containing the greatest number of atoms per area and in close-packed directions. Generally, we call the close-packed planes as slip or glide planes.

Key Difference - Slip vs Twinning

Figure 01: Slip System

Typically, an external force that is applied to a crystal lattice can cause the parts of the crystal lattice to glide along with each other, which can change the geometry of that material. We need a critical resolved shear stress in order to initiate a slip.

We can identify different slip systems, including the face-centred cubic system where the slip occurs along the close-packed plane, body centred cubic crystals where slip occurs along the plane of shortest Burgers Vector, hexagonal close-packed systems where the slip occurs along the densely packed plane, etc.

What is Twinning?

Crystal twinning is the event where two different crystals share some of the same crystal lattices that are pointing in a symmetric manner. This term is mainly used in the field of material science. The result of the twinning in a crystal lattice is an intergrowth of two separate crystals in a variety of specific configurations. In this phenomenon, the surface along which the crystal lattice points are shared in a twinned crystal is known as “composition surface or twin plane”. Twinning is often a problem in X-ray crystallography because the twinned crystals do not produce a simple diffraction pattern.

There are twin laws in material chemistry. We can define a twin law either using their own planes or using the direction of the twin axes. The most common twin laws in the isometric system include Spinel law (the twin axis is perpendicular to an octahedral face), and Iron cross (the interpretation of two pyritohedrons which is a subtype of the dodecahedron).

Difference Between Slip and Twinning

Figure 02: A Cross Twinned Material

Further, there are different types of twinning such as contact twins (simple twinned crystals), merohedral twinning (occurs when the lattices of the contact twins superimpose in 3Ds), penetration twin (where the individual crystals have the appearance of passing through each other in a symmetric manner), multiple or repeated twins, etc.

What is the Difference Between Slip and Twinning?

The key difference between slip and twinning is that during a slip, all atoms in a block move the same distance whereas in twinning the atoms in each successive plane in a block move through different distances that are proportional to their distance from the twinning plane.

Below infographic summarizes the differences between slip and twinning in tabular form.

Difference Between Slip and Twinning in Tabular Form

Summary – Slip vs Twinning

The key difference between slip and twinning is that during a slip, all atoms in a block move the same distance whereas, in twinning, the atoms in each successive plane in a block move through different distances that are proportional to their distance from the twinning plane.

Reference:

1. “Slip system” By Sietske~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). – No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Pyrite-254452” By Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com (CC-BY-SA-3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

Related posts:

Key Difference Between Iron and AluminumDifference Between Iron and Aluminum Difference Between Acid and AcidicDifference Between Acid and Acidic Difference Between Solution and SuspensionDifference Between Solution and Suspension Difference Between Betadine and IodineDifference Between Betadine and Iodine Difference Between Monovalent and DivalentDifference Between Monovalent and Divalent

Filed Under: Inorganic Chemistry

About the Author: Madhu

Madhu is a graduate in Biological Sciences with BSc (Honours) Degree and currently persuing a Masters Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. With a mind rooted firmly to basic principals of chemistry and passion for ever evolving field of industrial chemistry, she is keenly interested to be a true companion for those who seek knowledge in the subject of chemistry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Could Have and Would Have

Difference Between Could Have and Would Have

Difference Between Goblet and Wine Glass

Difference Between Goblet and Wine Glass

Difference Between Cyclone and Hurricane

Difference Between Rules and Norms

Distinguish Between Ethanal and Propanal

Distinguish Between Ethanal and Propanal

Latest Posts

  • Difference Between Homospory and Heterospory
  • Difference Between Chrysophytes and Euglenoids
  • Difference Between Acetone and Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Difference Between SDP and RDP
  • Difference Between Masking and Demasking Agents
  • Difference Between Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.