YIELD STRESS MEASUREMENTS ON AN AL-1.5-PERCENT MG ALLOY WITH SUBMICRON GRAIN-SIZE USING A MINIATURE BENDING PROCEDURE

An Al-1.5% Mg solid solution alloy was produced with a submicron grain size of approximate to 0.2-0.5 mu m by introducing intense plastic deformation through torsion straining. Tests were conducted to determine the yield stress of the alloy using a miniaturized bending procedure. Parallel tests were conducted using an Al-3% Mg alloy with a large grain size of approximate to 500 mu m. The results demonstrate the feasibility both of producing a submicrometer-grained structure in an Al-1.5% Mg alloy by torsion straining and of obtaining a reasonable measure of the yield stress using a miniature testing facility.