A pathway to improve low-cycle fatigue life of face-centered cubic metals via grain boundary engineering

To probe a pathway to improve the low-cycle fatigue life of face-centered cubic (FCC) metals via grain boundary engineering (GBE), the tension-tension fatigue tests were carried out on the non-GBE and GBE Cu-16 at.%Al alloys at relatively high stress amplitudes. The results indicate that the cyclic strain localization and cracking at grain boundaries (GBs) can be effectively suppressed, especially at increased stress amplitude, by an appropriate GBE treatment that can result in a higher resistance to GB cracking and a greater capability of compatible deformation. Therefore, the sensitivity of fatigue life to stress amplitude can be weakened by GBE, and the low-cycle fatigue life of Cu-16 at.%Al alloys is thus distinctly improved. (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Automated summary

Grain boundary engineering (GBE) can effectively improve the low-cycle fatigue life of Cu-16 at.%Al alloys by suppressing cyclic strain localization and grain boundary cracking.