In view of developing a physics-based constitutive material model for AA7075-T651, the mechanical behavior and microstructure evolution of the material has been studied through compression tests using Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator. The tests were performed at wide range of temperatures (room temperature (RT), 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 °C) with two constant strain rates (0.01 and 1 s-1). The true stress-strain curves depicted an increase in the flow stress with increase in the strain rate and decrease in the deformation temperature, with an exception at RT. The effects of softening mechanisms, such as adiabatic heating, dissolution of precipitates, dynamic recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallisation (DRX), on the flow stress level, strain rate sensitivity (SRS) and temperature sensitivity over the entire range of temperatures were analyzed. Pertaining to the microstructure analysis, the intermetallic particles present in the initial as-received (AR) material were identified as (Al,Cu)6(Fe,Cu) and SiO2 with the help of back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The microstructure of the material after the deformation processes were analyzed and compared with that of the AR state using inverse pole figures (IPF), grain orientation spread (GOS) and grain boundary rotation maps generated from electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) scans. DRV was observed for deformation at 300 °C, whereas a combination of DRV and incomplete DRX took place for 400 and 500 °C depending on the strain rate. The fraction of recrystallized grains was higher in case of deformation at higher temperature and lower strain rate. Furthermore, the difference in microstructure evolution on different surfaces of the deformed samples as well as at different locations on individual surfaces was also investigated.

The current study presents the effects of strain and temperature on the mechanical response and microstructure evolution in AA7075-T651 at high strain rates. Compression tests have been performed at room temperature (RT), 200, 300 and 400 °C using a Split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) setup with strain rates ranging between 1400 and 5300 s⁻¹. For deformation at RT, the flow stress increases with increase in strain rate. Whereas deformation at elevated temperatures show a non-monotonous behavior of the flow stress with respect to the strain rate. This trait is attributed to the pronounced effects from the adiabatic shear bands (ASBs); namely, distorted shear bands (DSBs) and transformed shear bands (TSBs); and cracks resulting from the plastic deformation instability during hot deformation. The sequence of microstructure evolution is: inhomogeneity in the initial microstructure – DSB – TSB – crack –fracture. The feasibility of formation and growth of ASBs and cracks increases with increase in strain and temperature, neglecting any significant effect from the strain rate. During the compression tests, temperature of the material rises due to adiabatic heating. Considering a certain strain developed in the material, this adiabatic temperature rise decreases as the deformation temperature is increased. Furthermore, during individual deformation processes, the temperature rise increases with increasing strain. The adiabatic temperature leading to the formation of TSB is approximated to be 0.7 times of the melting temperature of the alloy. These results from the current study are to be used in developing a physics-based material model for the alloy.

The current study investigated the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of a high pressure die cast (HPDC) novel secondary alloy. The as-cast microstructure comprised (i) Primary α-Al, (ii) α-Al15(FeMn)3Si2 intermetallics, and (iii) Al–Si eutectics. The microstructure starting from the surface through the depth of the HPDC casting consisted of (i) fine-grained skin at surface, (ii) increased Al–Si eutectics at intermediate location, and (iii) coarse α-Al dendrites at center. Accordingly, the hardness increased from skin to the intermediate section and then decreased toward the center of the casting. The formation of skin layer was highly discontinuous, which was attributed to the complicated fluid flow pattern inside the die cavity. The skin layer indicated to slightly improve the strength of the HPDC alloy; however, it restricted the ductility of the material with a large variation. Such ductility behavior resulted from a fracture mechanism triggered by the inhomogeneous skin because of its poor bonding with the adjacent matrix. Even though the secondary alloy contained casting defects and α-Al15(FeMn)3Si2 intermetallics that are known to be driving factors for the fracture in such materials, the effects from the inhomogeneous skin turned out to be predominant in the current study. 

The usage of recycled alloys in the high pressure die casting (HPDC) applications for automobiles is gaining rapid interest. Even though the skin microstructure, which is typically induced on the casting surface during the HPDC process, is believed to improve the properties of the HPDC castings, it may not always form continuously throughout on the casting surface, and thereby can influence the mechanical properties. Thus, the current study evaluated and compared the effects of inhomogeneously formed surface skin with that of other defects on the ductility exhibited by the HPDC castings of a recycled secondary AlSi10MnMg(Fe) alloy. The formation of inhomogeneous skin in the current study was attributed to a phenomenon related to the “waves and lakes” type of defects created by the HPDC process. Such skin structure limited the ductility of the HPDC castings, irrespective of the tested strain rates in the current case, by undergoing abrupt fracture due to its poor bonding with the adjoining matrix resulting from the aforementioned inhomogeneity. Even if the investigated AlSi10MnMg(Fe) alloy contained an abundance of porosity, cold flakes and intermetallics, which are usually considered the driving factors behind the fracture of HPDC processed alloys, the effect from the inhomogeneous skin layer dominated all other factors in the current case. The order of detrimental effect on the ductility of HPDC processed AlSi10MnMg(Fe) alloy followed a sequence of inhomogeneous skin, cold flakes and pores, with the inhomogeneity in skin turning out to be the most harmful one.