High temperature deformation behavior of spray-formed and subsequently extruded Al-25Si based alloy

The high temperature deformation behavior of spray-formed and subsequently extruded Al-25Si based alloy containing fine Si and ultra-fine intermetallic phases was examined by compressive tests at temperatures between 523 and 743 K and strain rates between 1.0 × 10-3 and 1.0 × 100/s. The true stress-true strain curves obtained from the compressive tests revealed a peak stress at the initial stage of deformation. The peak stress decreased with increasing temperature or decreasing strain rate. A close relationship was observed between the peak stress and the constitutive equation for high temperature deformation. In the deformed specimens, fine equiaxed grains were observed with a mean grain size of 330~590 nm, which was much finer than that measured prior to deformation (1.4 μm). A dislocation structure within the grains was also observed in the deformed specimens, indicating the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization during high temperature deformation of the present alloy. The occurrence of dynamic recrystallization was also supported by the existence of a peak stress in the flow curve.