A nanostructural design to produce high-strength Al alloys with enhanced electrical conductivity

The high strength and increased electrical conductivity of the Al alloys are highly desirable for their applications in power transmission lines. However, high strength and high electrical conductivity are mutually exclusive in metallic materials. A novel nanostructuring strategy is reported that achieves Al-Mg-Si alloys with superior tensile strength and enhanced electrical conductivity. The new strategy is based on a combination of grain refinement down to ultra-fine scale with accelerated formation of nanosized precipitates during severe plastic deformation. (C) 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.