Strengthening behavior of bulk ultra fine grained aluminum alloys

Abstract

Billets of aluminum and aluminum alloys have been deformed at room temperature using a die having equal channels of 10 mm diameter intersecting at an inner angle of 120° and outer arc of 60° by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) to ultra fine grain (UFG) size level, adopting route Bc. Mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile testing and microhardness measurement. Effects of alloying elements on strengthening were explored. The strengths increase rapidly at first few passes and then reach to a saturation level. The improvement in strength at initial passes of ECAP is due to work hardening and subgrain or dislocation cell formation. However, strengthening at large number of passes is due to the grain refinement alone. The rate of strengthening as a function equivalent strain decreases to a minimum. The strengthening level of bulk UFG alloys is about 3.5 to 4.5 times to that of starting materials. The major cause of strengthening is grain refinement apart from solute strengthening. Among Mg, Zn and Ag alloying elements, the strengthening effect is highest for Mg and lowest for Ag. Ductility is regained without affecting the strength after sufficient number of passes when microstructure becomes equiaxed and ultra-fine in size. However, ductility of UFG Al alloys is lower than that of their coarse grained counterpart. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications.