《Low temperature superplasticity in a friction stir processed ultrafine grained Al Zn Mg Sc alloy》.pdf

Acta Materialia 53 (2005) 4211–4223 Low temperature superplasticity in a friction-stir-processed ultrafine grained Al–Zn–Mg–Sc alloy I. Charit 1, R.S. Mishra * Center for Friction Stir Processing and Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Missouri, Rolla, MO 65409, USA Received 28 May 2004; received in revised form 9 May 2005; accepted 13 May 2005 Available online 5 July 2005 Abstract Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to create a microstructure with ultrafine grains (0.68 lm grain size) in an as-cast Al–8.9Zn–2.6Mg–0.09Sc (wt.%) alloy. The ultrafine grained alloy exhibited superplasticity at relatively low temperatures and higher strain rates. Optimum ductility of 1165% at a strain rate of 3 · 102 s1 and 310 C was obtained. Enhanced superplasticity was also achieved at a temperature as low as 220 C. Experimentally observed parametric dependencies and microstructural examinations indicated that the operating deformation mechanism might be the Rachinger grain boundary sliding accommodated by intragran- ular slip. The FSP microstructure became highly unstable at 390 C onwards, thus, affecting ductility adversely. In situ transmission electron microscopy heating was used to understand the instability phenomenon, which has been attributed to the drop in particle pinning forces due to the dissolution of metastable precipitates and microstructural heterogeneity. 2005 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Aluminum alloy; Friction stir processing; Ultrafine grained microstructure; Superplasticity 1. Introduction