C. T. Necker

Deformation texture transition in brass: critical role of micro-scale shear bands

Abstract The transition in deformation textures between low stacking fault energy f.c.c. metals (e.g. brass textures) and the medium to high stacking fault energy f.c.c. metals (e.g. copper textures) is addressed. A detailed microscopy investigation was conducted in parallel with texture measurements on deformed samples of copper and 70/30 brass to different strain levels in three different deformation paths, namely, plane strain compression, simple compression, and simple shear. The objective of the study was to identify the specific trends in the transition between the brass textures and the copper textures that correlated with the onset of deformation twinning and those that correlated with the onset of micro-scale shear banding. It was found that several important transitions in the evolution of the deformation textures, especially in the rolled samples, correlated not with the onset of deformation twinning but with the onset of micro-scale shear banding. These results strongly suggest that the critical feature in texture transition is not twinning directly, but the shear banding promoted by the high strain hardening rates of low stacking fault energy f.c.c. metal.

Equal-channel angular extrusion of beryllium

The equal-channel angular extrusion (ECAE) technique has been applied to a powder metallurgy (P/M) source Be alloy. Extrusions have been successfully completed on Ni-canned billets of Be at approximately 425 °C. No cracking was observed in the billets, and significant grain refinement was achieved. In this article, microstructural features and dislocation structures are discussed for a single-pass extrusion, including evidence of 〈c〉 and 〈c+a〉 dislocations. Significant crystallographic texture developed during ECAE, which is discussed in terms of this unique deformation processing technique and the underlying physical processes which sustain the deformation.

Equal Channel Extrusion Heterogeneities in Recrystallized Copper

Various processing routes have been studied to develop the most efficient route toward microstructure refinement and texture homogenization. Most studies have focused on the central shear zone in round or square cross-section rods. However, the utility or application of these materials is subject to conditions across the entire rod. This study begins to investigate the development of recrystallization textures and microstructures across copper ECAE processed via route Bc through 16 passes. Although the recrystallized condition appears to be reasonably homogeneous after 4 or 8 passes, additional passes lead to stronger, heterogeneous recrystallization textures and coarsened microstructures.