High temperature deformation of a commercial aluminum alloy

A study of high temperature deformation of a commercial aluminum alloy has been undertaken through tensile tests at strain rates ranging from 5.6 × 10_-5 s_-1 to 5.6 × 10_-2 s_-1 and load relaxation testing in the temperature range 473 to 873 K. Experiments have established that maximum ductility is reached at about 623 K and at maximum strain rates. Maximum fracture ductility corresponds to minimum uniform elongation. The deformation and fracture mechanisms operating in the temperature range 473 to 573 K seem to differ from those between 623 K and 823 K; different strain rate sensitivities are also observed. Dynamic recovery is the dominant softening mechanism in high temperature plastic deformation—that is, a thermally activated process whose kinetics can be suitably described by an empirical power relation.