Equal channel angular extrusion of NiTi shape memory alloy tube

As a new attempt, equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） of nickel-titanium shape memory alloy （NiTi SMA） tube was investigated by means of process experiment, finite element method （FEM） and microscopy. NiTi SMA tube with the steel core in it was inserted into the steel can during ECAE of NiTi SMA tube. Based on rigid-viscoplastic FEM, multiple coupled boundary conditions and multiple constitutive models were used for finite element simulation of ECAE of NiTi SMA tube, where the effective stress field, the effective strain field and the velocity field were obtained. Finite element simulation results are in good accordance with the experimental ones. Finite element simulation results reveal that the velocity field shows the minimum value in the corner of NiTi SMA tube, where severe shear deformation occurs. Microstructural observation results reveal that severe plastic deformation leads to a certain grain orientation as well as occurrence of substructures in the grain interior and dynamic recovery occurs during ECAE of NiTi SMA tube. ECAE of NiTi SMA tube provides a new approach to manufacturing ultrafine-grained NiTi SMA tube.

Effect of processing route on grain refinement in pure copper processed by equal channel angular extrusion

An experimental study of the microstructures in pure copper billets processed by 8 passes of equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） via an extended range of processing routes with a 90° die is carried out. Each processing route is defined according to the inter-pass billet rotation angle （χ）, which varies from 0° to 180°. According to the generation of high-angle boundaries and reduction of grain size by electron backscatter diffraction （EBSD） measurements, the grain refinement is found to be most efficient for route with χ=90°and least efficient with χ=180°, among the seven routes studied. This trend is supported by supplementary transmission electron microscopy （TEM） measurements. Comparison of the EBSD and TEM data reveals the importance of considering the non-equiaxity of grain structures in quantitative assessment of microstructural differences in ECAE-processed materials.

Application of crystal plasticity modeling in equal channel angular extrusion

Some applications of crystal plasticity modeling in equal channel angular extrusion（ECAE） of face-centered cubic metals were highlighted.The results show that such simulations can elucidate the dependency of grain refinement efficiency on processing route and the directionality of substructure development,which cannot be explained by theories that consider only the macroscopic deformation behavior.They can also capture satisfactorily the orientation stability and texture evolution under various processing conditions.It is demonstrated that crystal plasticity models are useful tools in exploring the crystallographic nature of grain deformation and associated behavior that are overlooked or sometimes erroneously interpreted by existing phenomenological theories.

Microstructure evolution of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by equal channel angular extrusion in semi-solid isothermal treatment

Microstructure evolution of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by equal channel angularextrusion(ECAE) in semi-solid isothermal treatment was investigated. The results show that withincreasing semi-solid isothermal treatment temperature, the a phase solid grain size of processedMg-Al-Zn alloy by ECAE increases firstly due to coarsening of a phase solid grains, then decreasesdue to melting of a phase solid grains. With the increase of extrusion passes during ECAE, the aphase solid grain size in the following semi-solid isothermal treatment decreases. The a phase solidgrain size of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by ECAE under route B_C is the smallest, while the a phasesolid grain size of processed material by ECAE under route A is the largest. The primary mechanismof spheroid formation depends on the melting of recrystallizing boundaries and diffusion of soluteatoms in the semi-solid state.

Die structure optimization of equal channel angular extrusion for AZ31 magnesium alloy based on finite element method

Three-dimensional（3D） geometric models with different comer angles （90° and 120°） and with or without inner round fillets in the bottom die were designed. Some important process parameters were regarded as the calculation conditions used in DEFORMTM-3D software, such as stress--strain data of compression test for AZ31 magnesium, temperatures of die and billet, and friction coefficient. Influence of friction coefficient on deformation process was discussed. The results show that reasonable lubrication condition is important to plastic deformation. The change characteristics for distributions of effective stress and strain during an equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） process with inner angle of 90° and without fillets at outer comer were described. Inhomogeneity index （C） was defined and deformation heterogeneity of ECAE was analyzed from the simulation and experiment results. The deformation homogeneity caused by fillets at outer comer increased compared with the die without fillets. The cumulated maximum strains decrease with increasing the fillets of outer comer in ECAE die and the inner comer angle. The analysis results show that better structures of ECAE die including appropriate outer comer fillet and the inner comer angle of 90° for the die can improve the strain and ensure plastic deformation homogenization to a certain extent. The required extrusion force drops with increasing the fillet made at outer comer in ECAE die. It is demonstrated that the prediction results are in good agreement with experiments and the theoretical calculation and the research conclusions in literatures.

Bonding interface zone of Mg-Gd-Y/Mg-Zn-Gd laminated composite fabricated by equal channel angular extrusion

In order to improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys,the equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE)was employed to fabricate the Mg-5Gd-5Y/Mg-2Zn-1Gd(GW55/ZG21)laminated composites.After fabrication and annealing treatment,the microstructural evolution,phase constitution,microhardness,and bonding strength were investigated on the bonding interface zone of GW55/ZG21 laminated composites.The bonding interface zone of GW55/ZG21 laminated composites comprises a lot of Mg3(Y,Gd)2Zn3 particles along the bonding interface,some rod Mg24(Y,Gd)5 phases on GW55 side,and a precipitation free zone(PFZ)on ZG21 side.After annealing treatment,Mg3(Y,Gd)2Zn3 particles along the bonding interface increase, rod Mg24(Y,Gd)5 phases on GW55 side decrease,and PFZ is broadened.Meanwhile,the hardness on the bonding interface zone decreases and the bonding strength increases from 126 MPa to 162 MPa.

Improvements in the microstructure and fatigue behavior of pure copper using equal channel angular extrusion

In this study, annealed pure copper was extruded using equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） for a maximum of eight passes. The fatigue resistance of extruded specimens was evaluated for different passes and applied stresses using fatigue tests, fractography, and metallography. The mechanical properties of the extruded material were obtained at a tensile test velocity of 0.5 mm/min. It was found that the maximum increase in strength occurred after the 2nd pass. The total increase in ultimate strength after eight passes was 94%. The results of fatigue tests indicated that a significant improvement in fatigue life occurred after the 2nd pass. In subsequent passes, the fatigue life con-tinued to improve but at a considerably lower rate. The improved fatigue life was dependent on the number of passes and applied stresses. For low stresses （or high-cycle fatigue）, a maximum increase in fatigue resistance of approximately 500%was observed for the extruded material after eight passes, whereas a maximum fatigue resistance of 5000%was obtained for high-applied stresses （or low-cycle fatigue）. Optical microscopic examinations revealed grain refinements in the range of 32 to 4 μm. A maximum increase in impact energy absorption of 100%was achieved after eight passes. Consistent results were obtained from fractography and metallography examinations of the ex-truded material during fatigue tests.

Deformation temperature and postdeformation annealing effects on severely deformed TiNi alloy by equal channel angular extrusion

Micron TiNi alloy blocks were fabricated at high temperature by equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） using hotforged Ti-50.3at%Ni alloy as the raw material and the effects of deformation temperature and postdeformation annealing on the severely deformed TiNi alloy by ECAE were investigated. The results show that the TiNi alloy processed by ECAE undergoes severe plastic deformation, and lowering the deformation temperature and increasing the number of extrusions contribute to grain refinement. When the annealing temperature is below 873 K, static recovery is the main restoration process; when the temperature rises to 973 K, static recrystallization occurs. It is found that fine particles are precipitated when the TiNi alloy processed by ECAE is annealed at 773 K.

Effect of Equal Channel Angular Extrusion on the Microstructures and Properties of Two Extruded Al-Mg-Si Alloys

The effect of equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） on the microstructure of two Al-Mg-Si extrusion alloys was investigated by high resolution electron backscattered diffraction （EBSD） using a field emission gun scanning electron microscope （FEG-SEM） and a transmission electron microscope （TEM）. Two contrasting alloys： a dilute alloy, based on alloy 6061 and a concentrated alloy, based on alloy 6069 were employed for this research. It has been found that prior ECAE to extrusion promotes high angle grain boundaries （HAGBs） in the extrusions, and the increase in HAGBs ratio is due to the large shear deformation involved in the process of ECAE. Tensile testing results show that a further ageing treatment strengthens the alloys after extrusion and the ECAE processed extrusions are more ductile than conventional extrusions.

Finite Element Analysis of Die Geometry and Process Conditions Effects on Equal Channel Angular Extrusion for β-Titanium Alloy

The finite element analysis was applied to evaluate the respective influences of die geometry and process conditions on plastic strain distribution for β-titanium (Ti-13V11Cr3Al) alloy during the equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE). It was found that optimum equal channel angular extrusion die geometry is strongly material dependent. Optimal strain homogeneity in the Ti-13V11Cr3Al alloy may be achieved at r (inner radius)=5 mm, R (outer radius)=3 mm. The equivalent plastic strain increases with increasing friction coefficient. And the better homogeneity of the equivalent plastic strain distribution can be achieved when friction coefficient value is lower. The faster the ram speed is, the lower the homogeneity of the equivalent plastic strain distribution is and the influence is slight. The back-pressure does not help to improve the plastic strain homogeneity, and the increasing temperature has a slightly favourable effect on the plastic strain homogeneity between 400 and 600 ℃.

Severe plastic deformation of commercially pure aluminum using novel equal channel angular expansion extrusion with spherical cavity

Equal channel angular expansion extrusion with spherical cavity(ECAEE-SC)was introduced as a novel severe plastic deformation(SPD)technique,which is capable of imposing large plastic strain and intrinsic back-pressure on the processed billet.The plastic deformation behaviors of commercially pure aluminum during ECAEE-SC process were investigated using finite element analysis DEFORM-3D simulation software.The material flow,the load history,the distribution of effective strain and mean stress in the billet were analyzed in comparison with conventional equal channel angular extrusion(ECAE)process.In addition,single-pass ECAEE-SC was experimentally conducted on commercially pure aluminum at room temperature for validation,and the evolution of microstructure and microhardness of as-processed material was discussed.It was shown that during the process,the material is in the ideal hydrostatic stress state and the load requirement for ECAEE-SC is much more than that for ECAE.After a single-pass ECAEE-SC,an average strain of 3.51 was accumulated in the billet with homogeneous distribution.Moreover,the microstructure was significantly refined and composed of equiaxed ultrafine grains with sub-micron size.Considerable improvement in the average microhardness of aluminum was also found,which was homogenized and increased from HV 36.61 to HV 70.20,denoting 91.75%improvement compared with that of the as-cast billet.

Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution during Equal Channel Angular Pressing of Pure Aluminum

The deformation behavior of equal channel angular pressing(ECAP)was discussed by using plasticity method.The node mapping method is employed to realize the analysis of multi-pass ECAP by using three-dimensional FEM methods for pure aluminum.The single-pass ECAP is a non-uniform shear deformation process in the cross-section of the workpiece.The uniform deformation processing routes are obtained during multi-pass ECAP process.In addition,the density of dislocations and defects of crystal lattice are also largely changed for different processing routes.The grain microstructure is gradually refined with the increase of the pressing passes.The grains and their distribution obtained by route Bc are more useful for producing the material with high angle grain boundaries.The grain microstructure of the cross section of the pressed material decreases with the increase of strain,and some grains exhibit transformed grain boundary(PTB)fringes.The dislocation density in the grain decreases,and the grain boundary presents equiaxed distribution.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Semi-continuous Equal-channel Angular Extruded Interstitial-free Steel

An innovative method called semi-continuous equal channel angular extrusion （SC-ECAE） has been devel- oped to produce ullrafine grained steel by inducing severe plastic deformation. In contrast to the external forces that are exerted on specimens in traditional ECAE, the driving forces are applied on the dies in the novel SC EACE process. Commercial interslitial-free steel sheets with width of 160 mm and tbickness of 2 mm were processed re peatedly to various passes at room temperature using this method. The microstructural evolution was characterized using high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction （EBSD）, and the mechanical properties were investigated by tensile testing. The EBSD images indicated that the fraction of high angle boundaries （HABs） began to increase gradually after four passes; after six passes, elongated HAB structures with nearly submicron-scale average spacings were formed. The tensile testing results showed that strengthening was accompanied by a decrease in tensile ductili- ly, but no significant anisotropy was observed. After 10 passes, a final HAB fraction of about 90% and an overall grain size of 0.55 μm, yield strength of 638.7 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength （UTS） of 710.3 MPa, and a totfd elongation of 12.0 % were obtained.

Microstructural evolution of AZ61 magnesium alloy predeformed by ECAE during semisolid isothermal treatment

The microstructural evolution of AZ61 magnesium alloy predeformed by equal channel angular extrusion（ECAE） during semisolid isothermal treatment（SSIT） was investigated by means of optical metalloscopy and image analysis equipment.The process involved application of ECAE to as-cast alloy at 310 ℃ to induce strain prior to heating in the semisolid region for different time lengths.The results show that extrusion pass,isothermal temperature and processing route have an influence on microstructural evolution of predeformed AZ61 magnesium alloy during SSIT.With the increase of extrusion pass,the solid particle size is reduced gradually.When isothermal temperature increases from 530 ℃ to 560 ℃,the average particle size increases from 22 μm to 35 μm.When isothermal temperature is 575 ℃,the average particle size decreases.The particle size of microstructure of AZ61 magnesium alloy predeformed by ECAE at BC during SSIT is the finest.

Reheating and thixoforging of ZK60+RE alloy deformed by ECAE

The two-pass equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) process was introduced into strain-induced melt activation (SIMA) to predeform a ZK60 alloy with rare earth (RE) addition. Microstructure evolution of ECAE-formed ZK60+RE alloy during reheating was investigated. Furthermore, tensile properties of thixoforged components were determined. The results show that the SIMA process can produce ideal microstructures, and spheroidized solid particles with little entrapped liquid can be obtained. With prolonging holding time, the size of solid particles increases and the degree of spheroidization is improved. The tensile properties of the thixoforged ZK60+RE samples are close to those of two-pass ECAE-formed samples.