Effect of High-Dense Electropulsing on Structure and Strength of Cryorolled Metals

A comparative analysis of changes in structure and ambient temperature mechanical behavior of pure FCC metals—Al, Ni and Cu, due to high-dense electropulsing (HDEP) of isothermally cryorolled at liquid nitrogen temperature sheets, has been carried out. Processes, driving forces and factors controlling the nature and kinetics of transformation of the deformation structure during HDEP are discussed. Temperature ranges of activation of recovery and recrystallization in the cryorolled metals under pulsing of different capacity are determined. It is shown that the processing allows controlling strength of metals within a wide range owing to formation of homogeneous and/or heterogeneous structures with different crystallite size, dislocation density and grain boundary spectrum, involving ultra-fine grained and nanostructured ones. It is concluded that the phenomenology and nature of metal softening under electric pulsing are similar to those, occurred at conventional furnace annealing.