Microstructure control using severe plastic deformation

The process of severe plastic deformation (SPD) was applied to Al alloys in order to demonstrate that it is possible to control the morphology and distribution of second phase particles using SPD. Equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) is used for the SPD process and transmission electron microscopy is used for the microstructural observations. It is shown that precipitate particles are severely deformed or fragmented by the shear strain introduced by the ECAP process. It is also shown that the particles may even be dissolved in the matrix when the strain becomes intense. However, the change in the particle size and morphology are different depending on the alloy system.