Effect of soft Bi particles on grain refinement during severe plastic deformation

Abstract

Two aluminum alloys, Al–8Zn and Al–6Bi–8Zn were subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) up to 5 passes at room temperature. The microstructural evolution and the grain refinement behavior of these alloys were systematically studied by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). After 5 passes of ECAP, ultrafine grained microstructures formed in both alloys. However, the grain structure in the Al–6Bi–8Zn alloy is much finer than that of Al–8Zn alloy, showing that the soft Bi particles have a strong influence on enhancing the grain refinement during ECAP. The strengths of the ECAP-processed materials were measured by hardness test and it showed that after 5 passes of ECAP, the hardness of the Al–6Bi–8Zn alloy was higher than that of the Al–8Zn alloy. The effects of soft Bi particles on the deformation behavior during ECAP and the final strength of the Al–6Bi–8Zn alloy were discussed.