Dynamic deformation and fracture behavior of ultrafine-grained aluminum alloy fabricates by equal-channel angular pressing

In the present study, ultrafine-grained microstructures of a conventional 5083 aluminum alloy were fabricated by equal-channel angular pressing, and their dynamic deformation and fracture behavior were investigated. Dynamic torsional tests were conducted on four aluminum alloy specimens using a torsional Kolsky bar, and then the test data were analyzed in relation to microstructures, tensile properties, and adiabatic shear-banding behavior. The equal-channel angular-pressed (ECAP) specimens consisted of ultrafine grains and contained a considerable amount of second-phase particles, which were refined and distributed homogeneously in the matrix as the equal-channel angular pressing pass number increased. The dynamic torsional test results indicated that the maximum shear stress increased, while the fracture shear strain remained constant, with increasing equal-channel angular pressing pass number. Observation of the deformed area beneath the dynamically fractured surface showed that a number of voids initiated mainly at second-phase particle/matrix interfaces and that the number of voids increased with increasing pass number. Adiabatic shear bands of 200 to <300 μm in width were formed in the as-extruded and 1-pass ECAP specimens having coarser particles, whereas they were hardly formed in the four-pass and eight-pass ECAP specimens having finer particles. The possibility of adiabatic shear-band formation was explained by concepts of absorbed deformation energy and void initiation.