Workability of spray-formed 7075 Al alloy reinforced with SiCp at elevated temperatures

Macrostructures of spray-formed 13 vol.% SiC reinforced 7075 aluminum metal matrix composites (MMCs) were studied. The workability of spray-formed MMCs was studied, which was compared with that of conventional continuously-cast 7075 aluminum alloy. Upset forming was employed to study the workability, for which the strain, strain rate, and temperature were varied. The effects of lubrication were studied. The evolving morphologies during upsetting were investigated together with the surface defects. The relationships between true strain and true stress were studied, and the strain rate sensitivities, m, were calculated. Macrostructural evolution during upset forming was characterized. The forming limit diagram of strain paths during deformation were plotted and analyzed.