DOI

A commercial 6061 aluminium alloy was processed by ECAP and subsequently aged to nucleate nanoscaled precipitates within the ultrafine grain structure. The mechanical behaviour was investigated thanks to tensile tests and the microstructure was characterized at the atomic scale using Atom Probe Tomography. These experimental data clearly reveal that extensive dynamic precipitation and grain boundary segregation occurred during ECAP. These features lead to a significant increase of the strength of the alloy. Further ageing after ECAP processing gives rise to an additional increase of the strength linked to a larger precipitate density. A comparison of the morphology and the composition of precipitates nucleated during ECAP and during the standard T6 ageing treatment shows that the precipitation kinetic is affected by the severe plastic deformation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-15
Number of pages5
JournalKovove Materialy
Volume49
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 16 May 2011

    Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Chemistry
  • Metals and Alloys
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanics of Materials

    Research areas

  • Aluminium alloy, ECAP, Grain boundary segregation, Precipitation

ID: 42938334