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Submitted for recognition as an American National Standard

REAF.
JUL81

J391

Issued
Reaffirmed

1969-05
1981-07

Superseding J391 MAY69

DEFINITION FOR PARTICLE SIZE

ForewordThis Document has not changed other than to put it into the new SAE Technical Standards Board
Format.
1.

Scope"Effective particle or domain size" is a phrase used in X-ray diffraction literature to describe the size of
the coherent regions within a material which are diffracting. Coherency in this sense means diffracting as a
unit. Small particle size causes X-ray line broadening and as such can be measured. It has been shown
related to substructure as observed in transmission electron microscopy. Particle size is affected by
hardening, cold working, and fatigue; conversely, there is increasing evidence that particle size, per se, affects
both static and dynamic strength.

2.

ReferencesThere are no referenced publications specified herein

3.

Definition

3.1

Effective Particle or Domain Sizeas determined by diffraction, is a one-dimensional measure of the

average size of essentially perfect regions within a material.
NOTESuch regions are related to the substructure seen in transmission electron microscopy. Small particle
size contributes to diffraction line broadening.

PREPARED BY THE SAE FATIGUE DESIGN AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE

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SAE J391 Reaffirmed JUL81

RationaleNot applicable.
Relationship of SAE Standard to ISO StandardNot applicable.
Application"Effective particle or domain size" is a phrase used in X-ray diffraction literature to describe the
size of the coherent regions within a material which are diffracting. Coherency in this sense means
diffracting as a unit. Small particle size causes X-ray line broadening and as such can be measured. It
has been shown related to substructure as observed in transmission electron microscopy. Particle size
is affected by hardening, cold working, and fatigue; conversely, there is increasing evidence that particle
size, per se, affects both static and dynamic strength.
Reference SectionThere are no referenced publications specified herein.
Developed by the SAE Fatigue Design and Evaluation Committee