Fabrication of nanostructured Al/Cu/Mn metallic multilayer composites by accumulative roll bonding process and investigation of their mechanical properties

• Nanostructured Al/Cu/Mn multilayer composite was produced in the form of sheets.
• The tensile strength of the composite improved by increasing the number of ARB cycle.
• The microhardness of the copper layers is higher than that of the aluminum layers.

Multilayered Al/Cu/Mn composites were produced from aluminum 1100 strips, commercial copper foils and manganese powders, through accumulative roll bonding (ARB). The structural and microstructural evolution of the produced composites was studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Also, their mechanical properties at various ARB cycles were studied by microhardness and tensile tests. In this process after nine ARB cycles, a multilayered Al/Cu/Mn composite with homogeneously distributed, fragmented copper layers and Mn powders in the aluminum matrix was produced. Also, it was observed that with increasing strain by progression of the ARB process, the strength and microhardness of the produced composites increased.