Characterization of Zinalco Alloy Superplastically Deformed Using Orientation Imaging Microscopy

Abstract

ABSTRACTZinalco alloy (Zn-21mass%Al-2mass%Cu) specimens were deformed superplastically with a strain rate (ε) of 1×10-3 s-1 at homologous temperature (TH) of 0.68 (5 ). It was observed neck formation that indicate nonhomegeneus deformation. Grain size and grain boundaries misorientation changes, due superplastic deformation, were characterized by Orientation Imagining Microscopy (OIM) technique. It was studied three regions in deformed specimens and the results were compared with the results for a specimen without deformation. Average grain size of 1 mm was observed in non-deformed specimen and a fraction of 82% for grain boundary misorientation angles with a grain boundaries angles between 15° and 55° was found. For deformed specimen, the fraction of angles between 15° and 55° was decreced to average value of 75% and fractions of low angle (<5°) and high angle (>55°) misorientations were 10% and 15% respectively. The grain size and high fraction of grain boundary misorientation angles between 15° and 55° observed in the alloy without deformation, are favorable for grain rotation and grain boundary sliding (GBS) procces. The changes observed in the fraction of favorable grain boundary angles during superplastic deformation, shown that the superplastic capacity of Zinalco was reduced with the deformation.