Effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing on the Properties of Rolled Commercial Purity A1100 Aluminum

Abstract

Commercial grade A1100 aluminum specimens, widely used in deep drawing, is subjected to rolling followed by severe plastic deformation by Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP). The ECAP die is designed and built in 42CrMo4 steel, hyper-hardened. It has a bent channel with an internal angle 𝜑=115° and an external angle ψ = 8°. The used deformation paths are the conventional route A as well as a non-conventional route noted Ci. The ECAP process is carried out at room temperature. The lowering speed of the movable crosshead of the press is 0.5 mm/s. The rolled and then extruded aluminum properties are studied by means of micro-hardness measurements, tensile tests and X-ray diffraction. Hardening is observed from the first pass, for both routes. The ultimate tensile strength presents a small variation for route A and decrease for route Ci. The elongation to failure increase for both A and Ci routes. The average grain diameter is on the order of 2,9µm after rolling and 1,3 µm after ECAP process in one pass.