Grain refinement and Lattice Imperfections in Commercial Aluminum Alloy Processed by Severe Plastic Deformation

In the present work, investigations on the microstructure of an aluminum alloy that had been subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), filing and ball milling, were carried out using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. SPD leads to lattice distortions, increased dislocation density and an intensive refinement of the microstructure. The refinement and lattice imperfections of the material are greatly affected by the deformation modes and loading performance occurring during SPD. During the milling, the dislocation annihilation increases at higher strains thereby resulting in a smaller crystallite size. After ECAP, the material manifests a strong shear texture and anisotropy of the deformation behavior. Strain anisotropy is less pronounced in filed and ball milled powder particles.