Microstructural evolution in ultra-fine grained copper processed by severe plastic deformation

Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) is a severe plastic deformation technique that was used to produce ultra-fine grained copper. The microstructure was optimized using different deformation sequences. A steady state grain size of 200--500 nm was routinely obtained after eight passes (with an effective strain of ∼1 per pass). This resulted in a random texture evidenced by EBSD results. The mechanical response was obtained under quasi-static and dynamic conditions.; The evolution of microstructure upon repeated ECAP passes was characterized by TEM and EBSD techniques. The features of grain refinement process were captured using analytical models. The minimum grain size obtained, 200--500 nm, was quantitatively explained by means of grain boundary rotation and grain boundary mobility calculations at the temperature reached in deformation process (∼360 K).; The ultra-fine grained structure produced in Cu by ECAP was found to be thermally unstable. The microstructure recrystallized upon being dynamically deformed due to the adiabatic temperature rise imparted by plastic deformation. This was observed in three modes of high-strain rate plastic deformation experiments: cylindrical and hat-shaped specimens in Hopkinson bar experiments and cylindrical specimens in reverse Taylor impact experiments.