Comparative study of severe plastic deformation at elevated temperatures of two aluminium alloys during friction surfacing

Abstract

Aluminium alloys 5083 and 6082 were deposited by Friction Surfacing (FS) under the same process conditions. Process characteristics including torque and forces, temperatures and the deposit microstructure were compared. The observed differences are discussed with regard to material strength, thermal softening rate and recrystallization mechanisms. AA 6082 plasticises faster, reaching ≈30 K higher temperatures, thicker and wider coatings and a higher material efficiency. The specific energy required for plastification is in the same order of magnitude as the activation energy for self-diffusion, emphasising the influence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanisms. A tendency for lower grain size and larger variations in grain boundary misorientation observed for AA 5083 points towards a shift in the steady-state DRX balance towards dislocation generation, due to the higher Mg content of this alloy. This corresponds to the lower process speeds required for AA 5083. AA 6082 may undergo more localized shear because of its high thermal softening rate and additional loss of strength through dissolution of Mg2Si with increasing temperature. This may contribute to a higher energy and material efficiency for plastification and deposition of AA 6082 by FS.