Achieving high hetero-deformation induced (HDI) strengthening and hardening in brass by dual heterostructures

• A dual heterostructured brass with superior combination of strength and ductility has been fabricated. • High hetero-deformation induced (HDI) strengthening and hardening is achieved by the design of the microstructure. • Extra interfaces generated by the dual heterostructure become the reason for the high HDI strengthening and hardening. Heterostructured materials have a superior combination of strength and ductility, due to their ability to produce hetero-deform induced (HDI) strengthening and hardening. Therefore, achieving high HDI strengthening and hardening is the primary goal for designing heterostructures. Here we report a dual heterostructure in brass that consists of the heterogeneous lamella and gradient structure, fabricated by rolling, partial annealing, and rotationally accelerated shot peening (RASP). The dual heterostructures are able to generate extra interfaces of heterogeneity compared to the single heterostructures, which could lead to higher HDI strengthening and hardening, and a more superior combination of strength and ductility. This finding presents a new pathway to designing heterostructures in metallic materials.