FABRICATION OF AZ31/Al(2)O(3) NANOCOMPOSITES BY FRICTION STIR PROCESSING

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to fabricate AZ31/Al2O3 nanocomposites by friction stir processing (FSP). Due to severe plastic deformation, dynamic recrystallization, and grain growth retardation by nanoparticles during the FSP processing, ultrafine grained microstructures with homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles were produced. With increasing rotational speed, as a result of the increased plastic deformation and heat generation, increased grain size of the matrix, and simultaneously shattering effect of rotation cause a uniform nanoparticle distribution. By the large plastic deformation, texture of the matrix evolved and especially the (0002) basal plane was developed.