Increasing the strength and electrical conductivity of aa6101 aluminum by nanostructuring

Abstract

Industrial scale nanostructuring via High Shear Deformation (HSD) can alter the properties of metals and alloys to increase their performance and extend their lifetimes. These factors in combination facilitate the use of lightweight alloys for transportation applications. This work examines how nanostructuring aluminum alloys can improve the fuel economy of vehicles by reducing the weight of electrical wires. Applying HSD non-isothermally alters precipitation, increasing the electrical conductivity of Al-Mg-Si alloys to 57% IACS while also increasing strength by over 50%. Microstructural analysis of Al alloys before and after HSD processing was performed to show how HSD changes grain size and precipitate size distribution.