Development of Ultra-Fine Grained Structure in an Al-5.4%Mg-0.5%Mn Alloy Processed by ECAP

Microstructural changes during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at the temperatures of 250 and 300°C to the strains ~4, ~8 and ~12 were studied in a coarse-grained Al-5.4%Mg-0.5%Mn-0.1%Zr alloy. At a strain of ~4, the microstructural evolution is mainly characterized by the development of well-defined subgrains within interiors of initial grains and the formation of fine grains along original boundaries. Further straining leads to increase in the average misorientation angle, the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries and the fraction of new grains. However, only at 300°C, the plastic deformation to a strain of ~12 leads to the formation of almost uniform submicrocrystalline (SMC) grained structure with an average crystallites size of ~ 0.5 m. At 250°C, the microstructure remains non-uniform and consists of subgrains and new recrystallized grains. The mechanism of new SMC structure formation after ECAP is discussed.