Papers by Author: Anton Hohenwarter

Abstract: Motivated by the large variety of enhanced properties of ultrafine and nanocrystalline materials such materials are under extensive investigation. Besides focusing on classical material parameters, like strength and ductility, the fracture toughness of these materials is also of great importance, especially when the damage tolerance is required. In this contribution an overview of the fracture behavior of different metals covering ultrafine-grained iron and nickel as well as a nanocrystalline steel processed via high pressure torsion (HPT) will be given. It will be shown that the specimen orientation can have a tremendous influence on the fracture behavior and toughness. Due to this toughness anisotropy an unexpectedly good combination of high strength and high fracture toughness can be achieved very often in these materials.

Abstract: Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) is known to be an effective method of producing nanocrystalline materials, for instance by HPT and ECAP. These techniques are also capable of reproducing microstructures which arise naturally when high pressure and friction is involved, for example in wheel-rail contact problems. The resulting deformation layers build the origin point for fatigue cracks. For that reason the knowledge of the mechanical properties of these deformation layers are of vital importance. In the framework of this study a baintic rail steel quality was deformed by High Pressure Torsion up to distinctive equivalent strains at a nominal pressure of 6 GPa up to a final equivalent strain of 16. Afterwards the evolution of the resulting microstructure was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy, by microhardness measurements and X-ray diffraction. The bainitic structure showed a strong alignment and fragmentation into the shear direction with increasing strain, which was accompanied by an increase in hardness as well. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the amount of retained austenite decreases dramatically after small amounts of strain, which indicates that retained austenite cannot be stabilized by high pressures. Torque measurements during deformation showed after strong hardening at the beginning, a saturation behaviour for higher strains, whereas for instance pearlitic rail steel qualities show further hardening.

Abstract: A tungsten heavy alloy (92%W, Ni-Co matrix) is subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) by high pressure torsion (HPT) at room temperature up to equivalent strains of 0.7, 5.3, 10.7 and 14.3. The microstructure and the mechanical properties are investigated by cylindrical compression samples at quasi-static and dynamic loading. The harder spherical W particles are homogeneously deformed within the softer matrix, becoming ellipsoidal at medium strains and banded at high strains without shear localization or fracture. Results of quasi-static loading show that the strength is approaching a limiting value at strains of ~10. At this strain for the matrix a grain size of ~80 nm and for W a cell size of ~250 nm was observed, suggesting strain concentration on the matrix. The initial yield stress of 945 MPa for the coarse-grained condition is increased thereby to an ultimate value of 3500 MPa, while a peak stress of ~3600 MPa is reached. Such remarkably strength has never been reported before for pure W or W-based composites. The strain hardening capacity as well as the strain rate sensitivity is reduced drastically, promoting the early formation of (adiabatic) shear bands.

Abstract: Here we report about the microstructure of a metal-polymer composite that was processed by severe plastic deformation. The composite was prepared by compaction of a sandwich made of Al foils and polyethylene films. This aluminum-polyethylene composite was processed by high pressure torsion and the microstructure was characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Our experimental data clearly show that in the early stage, the deformation is not homogeneous within the sample, indicating that significant softening occurred. However, at larger number of revolution the deformation progressively reaches the sample centre and the final material exhibits an ultrafine grained composite structure.

Abstract: The improvements in the design of the HPT tools lead to a well defined torsion deformation and permits, therefore, a comparison with other SPD-techniques. The design of the tools, the advantages and disadvantages of HPT, as well as the limitation in the sample size are discussed.