Optical and mechanical properties of an Al–Mg alloy processed by ECAE

Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) is an innovative technique for developing ultrafine-grained microstructures first developed by Segal et al in 1981 in the former Soviet Union. The ECAE method consists of two channels that intersect at an angle, generally comprised between 90° and 135°. The deformation is produced by shear as the billet is extruded through the channels. One of the geometrical properties of the process is that the cross-section of the billet remains constant and so, it is possible to repeat the process over many cycles. Therefore, very high plastic strains can be accumulated in the billet. Thus, the ECAE process allows us to produce ultrafine-grained materials and hence to improve the mechanical properties of the material. This work presents a study of the mechanical and optical properties of the AA5083 processed by equal channel angular extrusion. Vickers microhardness and tensile tests were carried out after processing the AA5083 up to N = 5 at room temperature. The improvement obtained in mechanical properties is shown.