Papers by Author: Erhard Schafler

Abstract: The presence of a hydrostatic pressure as a general feature of SPD methods is essential for achieving the high strains and the introduction of the high amount of lattice defects, which are necessary to establish new grain boundaries. Systematic investigations of High Pressure Torsion (HPT)-deformed Cu under variation of strain and hydrostatic pressure revealed marked differences between the in-situ torsional stress (torque measurement) and the post-HPT strength of the ultrafine-grained materials. These facts let assume the occurrence of relaxation processes (recovery/recrystallisation) of static character with respect to the release of the hydrostatic pressure after straining. In order to gain insight into the processes behind, a special experimental procedure was designed to simulate the hydrostatic pressure release. Investigations by X-ray line profile analysis and hardness measurement show marked influences of the pressure release on microstructure and strength. While the size of the coherently scattering domains is not strongly affected, the dislocation density decreases drastically and the arrangement of the dislocations within the subgrain structure changes to a less stress intensive one, upon the pressure release. In parallel the hardness decreases significantly and confirms the discrepancy between in-situ torque-stress and post-HPT strength.

Abstract: Several structural states of nanostructured zirconium were achieved by high pressure torsion (HPT) at pressures of 2 and 4 GPa with and without subsequent low temperature annealing. The nanostructured Zr was studied by X-Ray Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry to reveal the microstructure, phase composition and the thermal stability of this material. The fine grained structure being achieved by HPT had an average grain size of 100-200 nm. It was shown that HPT at 4 GPa leads to a phase transformation from α-Zr to ω-Zr, which has been demonstrated to be reversible by annealing at 300 °C without considerable change of the grain size. The evaluation of texture evolution in Zr during HPT exhibits activity of prismatic slip systems. DSC curves confirm the presence of HPT deformation induced lattice defects and the occurrence of the ω-α phase transition in Zr.

Abstract: Precompacts out of immiscible systems CuCr (75/25 wt%) and WCu (80/20 wt%), respectively, were made by pressing mixed powders and sintering. By applying different strains and hydrostatic pressures of HPT at room temperature, disc-shaped samples with a diameter of 8 mm were produced. They were investigated by Light Microscopy, Scanning-Electron Microscopy using Back-Scattered Electrons, and X-ray Line Profile Analysis. In addition, Vickers microhardness data were collected. Both systems showed the highest microhardness at a shear strain of about γ = 170. The density (for the case of Cu25Cr) of the consolidated material could be increased to the theoretical value. Microhardness and grain sizes were studied individually for each of the phases, too.

Abstract: Bulk nanostructured Cu samples with 20 mm in diameter and 1 mm in height were processed by HPT at a pressure of 6 GPa by 10 rotations. Measurements of texture by means of state-of-the-art XRD technique have been achieved in directions parallel and normal to the torsion axis. Local texture measurements were performed by a spot size of 500 -m in steps of 3.5 mm in order to examine the homogeneity of deformation. The texture data were resolved to shear plane and analyzed in terms of ideal shear orientations. At both inner and outer areas of the disc plane typical shear textures are observed. However, the intensity of components of textures at inner areas is higher than that of outer one. These results can be interpreted in terms of dynamic lattice relaxations rather than by heterogeneities in deformation.

Abstract: Single crystals of technical purity Magnesium (99.8 wt.%) of initial orientations [ ] 2 1 10 and [ ] 2 2 11 were subjected to HPT deformation at room temperature up to strains of 10. The microstructural evolution has been analyzed by X-ray microtexture investigations and by in-situ stress-strain measurements. The results can be described in terms of shear arising from HPT deformation and - with higher strains - in terms of recrystallization. In crystals with hard orientation[ ] 2 2 11 , these features occur at smaller strains than in crystals with soft orientation [ ] 2 1 10 , i.e. with higher symmetry. In general, the observed textures and strength variations are much stronger than those reported for fcc HPT deformed metals.

Abstract: In discussing hardening characteristics in terms of crystalline lattice defects, in most cases the properties and kinetics of dislocations and their arrangement have been considered. However, during plastic deformation also vacancies and/or vacancy type defects are produced in very high densities which are typically close to those of vacancies in thermal equilibrium at the melting point. The effect of high vacancy concentrations on the hardening characteristics is twofold: (i) direct effects by impeding the movement of dislocations (ii) indirect one by inducing climbing and annihilation of edge dislocations leading to softening or even absolute decreases in strength. This paper presents first measurements of deformation induced vacancies in SPD materials which have been achieved by combined evaluation of resistometry, calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The density of vacancies during and after SPD deformation is found to be markedly higher than in cases of conventional deformation and/or coarse grained material which may be partly attributed to the particular conditions of SPD namely the enhanced hydrostatic pressure as well as the changes in deformation path. It is suggested to make this high vacancy concentration responsible for both dynamic and static recovery and/or recrystallisation processes recently found during and after SPD, being potential reasons for enhanced ductility and superplasticity which only occur with nanomaterials originating from SPD. Recent publications show that in alloys, SPD induced vacancies can also enable the existence of phases which do not appear in the equilibrium diagram.

Abstract: The evolution of strength characteristics and the microstructure of copper subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT) are studied under variation of strain and hydrostatic pressure. Measurements of Multiple X-ray Bragg Profile Analysis (MXPA) yield microstructural parameters like dislocation density and arrangement, as well as crystallite (domain) size and distribution, and long-range internal stresses. TEM investigations are carried out to analyse the structural elements and to compare them with the results of MXPA. The strength behaviour is studied by microhardness measurements. The investigations are performed within wide ranges of resolved shear strains 􀁊 = 1 to 400 and of applied pressures p = 0.8 to 8 GPa. The onset of the deformation stages IV and V is strongly affected by the hydrostatic pressure i.e. shifted to higher values of stress and strain with increasing pressure. The experimental results indicate the occurrence of recovery effects, which seem to be of static as well as of dynamic nature, and to be responsible for extended ductility in SPD materials.