High strength and utilizable ductility of bulk ultrafine-grained Cu–Al alloys

Lack of plasticity is the main drawback for nearly all ultrafine-grained (UFG) materials, which restricts their practical applications. Bulk UFG Cu–Al alloys have been fabricated by using equal channel angular pressing technique. Its ductility was improved to exceed the criteria for structural utility while maintaining a high strength by designing the microstructure via alloying. Factors resulting in the simultaneously enhanced strength and ductility of UFG Cu–Al alloys are the formation of deformation twins and their extensive intersections facilitating accumulation of dislocations.