Mechanical properties, dislocation density and grain structure of ultrafine-grained aluminum and aluminum-magnesium alloys

The kind and amount of alloying elements strongly affects the formation of ultrafine-grained microstructures. Aluminum alloys with different amounts of the alloying element magnesium, and a commercially pure aluminum alloy, have been investigated in order to evaluate how the obtained microstructures will affect the mechanical properties. X-ray profile analysis has been used to determine grain size and dislocation density. With increasing amounts of alloying elements, a smaller grain size and a higher dislocation density after severe plastic deformation (SPD) are obtained, which lead to higher hardness and improved fatigue properties.