Using mainly silver-magnesium alloys, the
deformation of the phases was determined from observations of slip lines and
recrystallization behaviour. The relative deformation of the two phases is
influenced both by the total deformation of the alloy and by the volume
fractions of the phases. When very little of the hard β phase is present
most of the deformation occurs in the soft α crystals and there is
additional flow of the matrix around the hard particles. If the proportion of
the β phase is not greater than 30 per cent. by volume the soft α
deforms more than the β for reductions of up to 60 per cent., but for
heavier reductions the two phases deform more uniformly. When both phases are
present in about equal proportions they deform to the same extent.�The
recrystallization behaviour of the phases in a duplex alloy is affected by the
state of order of the phases, and by precipitation occurring in one of the
phases on annealing the deformed alloy. Experiments were designed to show the
influence of various factors.
An alloy that is ordered before
deformation recrystallizes at a lower temperature than an alloy disordered
before deformation. It is shown that this behaviour is not due to a difference
in work hardening characteristics.
On annealing silver-magnesium and
copper-zinc alloys quenched before deformation, precipitation of α occurs
in the β crystals and the recrystallization temperature of the β is
higher in these alloys than in slowly cooled alloys. It is shown that
precipitation relieves internal stresses in the deformed matrix and thus causes
the Increase in recrystallization temperature.
The general case of recrystallization of
the phases in slowly cooled and quenched silver-magnesium alloys is interpreted
in terms of these results.
The inhomogeneity of deformation of the
phases is indicated by their mode of recrystallization.
