Microstructure and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline high strength Al–Mg–Si (AA6061) alloy by high energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 2009-12, Vol.527 (1), p.292-296
• Main Authors: Rana, Jatinkumar Kumar, Sivaprahasam, D., Seetharama Raju, K., Subramanya Sarma, V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Al alloys; Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Elasticity. Plasticity; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Spark plasma sintering; Technology
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2009.08.041

In the present paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of nanostructured Al–Mg–Si based AA6061 alloy obtained by high energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering were reported. Gas atomized microcrystalline powder of AA6061 alloy was ball milled under wet condition at room temperature to obtain nanocrystalline powder with grain size of ∼30 nm. The nanocrystalline powder was consolidated to fully dense compacts by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 500 °C. The grain size after SPS consolidation was found to be ∼85 nm. The resultant SPS compacts exhibited microhardness of 190–200 HV 100 g , compressive strength of ∼800 MPa and strain to fracture of ∼15%.