Abstract:The microstructural evolution of AA6061 and Mn-bearing Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys was studied by compression tests that were carried out between 300 and 500 °C with a wide range of strain rates. Compared to the AA6061 alloy, the large amount of α-Al(MnFeCr)Si dispersoids in the Mn-bearing alloy yielded a significant increase in the flow stress under all deformation conditions. The effects of the deformation parameters on the evolution of the microstructure were studied using electronic backscatter diffraction measurements. The predominant softening mechanism of both alloys was dynamic recovery. The presence of α dispersoids in Mn-bearing alloys effectively refined the size of substructures with misorientation angles in the range of 2°-5°, which retarded the dynamic recovery. To predict the subgrain size under various deformation conditions, the threshold stresses that were caused by α dispersoids were calculated by the modified Orowan equation and incorporated into a conventional constitutive equation. The subgrain size that was predicted by the modified constitutive equation showed satisfactory agreement with the experimental measurements.

Key words: Al-Mg-Si alloy; hot deformation; α-Al(MnFeCr)Si dispersoids; substructure; dynamic softening; threshold stress; Z parameter