The significance of self-annealing in two-phase alloys processed by high-pressure torsion

Abstract

The Zn-22% Al eutectoid alloy and the Pb-62% Sn eutectic alloy were processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) over a range of experimental conditions. Both alloys exhibit similar characteristics with significant grain refinement after processing by HPT but with a reduction in the hardness values by comparison with the initial unprocessed conditions. After storage at room temperature for a period of time, it is shown that the microhardness of both alloys gradually recovers to close to the initial unprocessed values. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements on the Pb-Sn alloy suggest that the self-recovery behaviour is correlated with the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) after HPT processing. Thus, high fractions of HAGBs occur immediately after processing and this favours grain boundary migration and sliding which is important in the self-annealing and recovery process. Conversely, the relatively lower fractions of HAGBs occurring after annealing at room temperature are not so conducive to easy migration and sliding.