Enhancement of strength and superplasticity in a 6061 Al alloy processed by equal-channel-angular-pressing

Pre-equal-channel-angular-pressing (ECAP) solution treatment combined with post-ECAP aging treatment has been found to be effective in enhancing the room-temperature strength of 6061 aluminum alloy. The largest increase in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) (=460 MPa) and yield stress (YS) (=425 MPa) is obtained in post-ECAP aged 6061 Al with six pressings. The strength increases by a factor of 1.4 when compared to T6 treated commercial 6061 Al. The strength of 6061 Al obtained in the present research is higher than that of ECA-pressed 6061 Al with pre-ECAP peak-aging treatment studied by other investigators. The more effective strengthening of post-ECAP low-temperature aging may be linked with the higher dislocation accumulation rate in the solutionized matrix and the presence of higher density particles in the aged matrix. Modest low-temperature (523 K) and high-temperature (813 K) superplasticity is observed in the ECAP 6061 Al, which may be a result of increased grain boundary area from grain refinement.