Materials Science Forum, Vol.408-4, 691-696, 2002
Heterogeneous microstructures and microtextures in al processed by ECAE
The present work deals with a TEM microstructure and microtexture characterization of an aluminum sample produced by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE) following the so-called route C after eight passes. Using this route, the shear strain reverses back at each even number of passes. Therefore, the shape of the original large equiaxed grains is reconstructed but an ultra-fine microstructure develops within these grains. Different structural elements were identified at different scales inside the large grains - such as deformation bands, lamellar cell blocks and cells - using the home-made "Euclid's Phantasies" software developed at LETAM for fully automatic orientation TEM mapping. It is clearly showed that the substructure and the microtexture inside an original grain depends on its original mean orientation. Contrary to what is often claimed in papers related to ECAE, the substructure at large strain is not necessarily made of homogeneously distributed cells separated by medium or large angle boundaries. Grain subdivision takes place and the resulting substructure is strongly heterogeneous within a given original grain. The mechanisms responsible for such evolution are discussed.