The effects of grain boundary structures on mechanical properties in nanocrystalline al alloy

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of grain boundary structures on mechanical properties of nanocrystalline Al-0.7Mg-1.0Cu alloy using nanoindentation system. grain boundary structure transforms to high angle grain boundaries from low angle ones with increase of heat treatment temperature and the transformation temperature is about 400℃. Young’s modulus and hardness are higher in sample with low angle grain boundaries, while creep length is larger in sample with high angle ones. These results indicate that progress of plastic deformation at room temperature is more difficult in sample with low angle ones. During compression test at 200℃, strain softening occurs in all samples. However, yield strength in sample with low angle grain boundaries is higher twice than that with high angle ones due to higher activation energy for grain boundary sliding.