Effect of texture evolution on tensile properties of Al–Ni eutectic alloy fabricated by equal channel angular pressing

Abstract

The present study investigated in detail the effect of texture evolution on the mechanical properties of an Al–5·7 wt-%Ni eutectic alloy, which was subjected to severe plastic deformation by the equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) technique. The ECAP procedure was carried out using two strain introduction methods, route B_C and route A, at a temperature of 298 K and a pressing rate of 0·33 mm s⁻¹. The as pressed microstructures were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicated that the Al–Ni eutectic alloy specimens after ECAP processing by route B_C and route A methods had very different microstructures, which strongly affected the tensile properties of the specimens. It was demonstrated that after ECAP processing by route B_C, fine Al₃Ni particles of ∼300 nm were homogeneously dispersed in the aluminium matrix, and the specimens showed no clear anisotropy in tensile properties. After ECAP processing by route A, however, eutectic textures containing α-Al and Al₃Ni fibrous dispersoids had a highly anisotropic distribution and were demonstrated to have significantly anisotropic tensile properties. Based on the experimental results, the fracture mechanism during tensile testing of the Al–Ni eutectic alloy using different strain induction methods is discussed.