Quantitative study of grain refinement in Al–Mg alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing at cryogenic temperature

Strain induced grain refinement of an Al–1 wt.% Mg alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at cryogenic temperature is investigated quantitatively. The results show that both mean grain and subgrain sizes are reduced gradually with increasing ECAP pass. ECAP at cryogenic temperature increases the rate of grain refinement by promoting the fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) and misorientation at each pass. The fraction of HAGBs and the misorientation of Al–1 wt.% Mg alloy during ECAP at cryogenic temperature increase continuously as a function of equivalent strain. Both {110} and {111} twins at ultrafine-grained size are observed firstly in Al–Mg alloy during ECAP. The analysis of grain boundaries and misorientation gradients demonstrates the grain refinement mechanism of continuous dynamic recrystallization.

► Al–Mg alloy processed by ECAP at cryogenic temperature is investigated.
► ECAP at cryogenic temperature increases the rate of grain refinement.
► Twins at ultrafine-grained size are observed firstly in Al–Mg alloy during ECAP.
► Grain boundaries and misorientation gradients are discussed.