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ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

Consolidation of commercial pure aluminum particles by hot

ECAP
Kondaiah Gudimetla1*, Ramesh Kumar S2, Ravisankar B1, Prasad
Prathipati R3 and Kumaran S1
1
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, National Institute of
Technology, Tiruchirappalli-620015, Tamil Nadu, India
2
School of Mechanical Engineering, Sastra University, Thanjavur-613401, Tamil
Nadu, India
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, PNC & Vijai Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Phirangipuram, Repudi-522529, Andhra Pradesh, India

*Corresponding author E-mail: kondaiah.mech@gmail.com

Abstract. In the current study undertaken, aluminum particles of commercial purity grade were
compacted using hot ECAP. Investigation of the structural evolution and mechanical properties
was done. Measurements of the densities of the samples was done for the purpose of evaluation
the performance of the consolidation process. A tensile strength (UTS) of 98 MPa (after first
pass) was obtained under tensile loads and the percent elongation to fracture was found to be
5.5%, which indicated good tensile strength and ductility as compared to the commercial pure
Al powders consolidated by ambient temperature ECAP and other techniques. The relative
density and Rockwell hardness (HRB) of compacts (after first pass) was 99% and 42
respectively. This is indisputable proof for establishing the compatibility of ECAP in the matter
of producing bulk materials. Characterization of the material microstructure and fracture
behavior was done through use of optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Al
powders consolidated at 400oC through ECAP process, exhibited the best combination of yield
strength and ductility and hence hot ECAP is suitable method for consolidation of micro
powders.

1. Introduction
Powder metallurgy (PM) is the most significant method for the production of near net shape products.
The limitation of PM is the 100% dense cannot be obtain. The process of sintering at high temperature
was usually resorted to for bringing down the quantity of porosities in the compacts. As against this,
there is the fact that the conventional pressure-less sintering that does not help elimination of complete
porosities, leads to grain growth and not suitable. In recent times, secondary forming methods like
extrusion, and rolling have come into use for consolidation of particles for complete dense
components. These processes, however face certain limitations in the form of desperate changes in the
initial dimensions of the samples as also the need for application of high temperatures for obtaining
100% dense compacts. ECAP helps overcoming this problem [1]. ECAP was the process to start with.
It has the compatibility for introducing refinement of significant grains into samples of bulk [2, 3].
Apart from refinement of bulk materials, there is the compaction of metallic powders through ECAP
[4-11]. This process which has gained attention, involves canning of the metallic or composite
powders followed by processing at elevated temperature through the die with backpressure (through
insertion of front stopper or a hydraulic valve). This results in the occurrence of both the densification
of the powders and refinement of microstructure. This method enables consolidation of the aluminum
based nanocomposite powders, with yield of high hardness and strength [10]. In the present study,
consolidation of Al powder particles was done using hot ECAP. The structural evolution and

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ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

mechanical properties such as XRD, optical microstructure, SEM, density, hardness and tensile
strength of the compacts were investigated.

2. Experimental Procedure
The starting materials used in the paper were Al particles with average particle size of 50 μm flat and
flaky of irregular in shape, with low workability at the room temperature. It common knowledge that
the particles get segmented during the process of compaction of the metallic particles through ECAP,
as they pass through shear plane [11]. Use of a metallic can during the compaction of the metallic
particles is suggested for overcoming this problem [1]. In this study, Al cans filled with Al powder
were used. The initial dimension of the Al can and the manner in which the cap was sealed are shown
in figure 1 (b). The use of ECAP with die parameters ϕ = 90o and ψ = 20o showed the performance of
the ECAP process. Figure 1 (a) is the two-dimensional schematic of the ECAP die. Al can containing
Al particles at 400oC for a single pass were used for the ECAP process. Optical microscopy was used
for study of the shape, size and distribution of the porosities. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
was used for an in depth study of the porosity. SEM observations helped suggesting a mechanism for
elimination of pores during the ECAP process. The densities relating to the samples were based on
Archimedes principle. Examination of the mechanical properties of the samples produced was done
using Rockwell hardness and tensile test. Hardness (HRB) tests were carried out using a 100 g load
and a 15 s dwell time.

(a) (b) Metal Cap Powder Encapsulated Can

Figure1. (a) ECAP die and (b) Al can with cap.

Figure 2. SEM micro graph of Al powder.

3. Results and Discussion

100µ
A preliminary SEM investigation carried out on Aluminum particles showed irregular shape with
m
mean powder particle diameter of 50 μm. The micrograph of particles is presented in figure 2. Al
powder was consolidated at room temperature ECAP as well as hot ECAP and the physical and

2
ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

mechanical properties (density, Rockwell hardness (B scale) & tensile strength) of compacted samples
one pass are detailed in Table 1. In general compaction of spherical particles were more difficult as
inferred from lower particle size and shape as they can withstand a less deformation and leads to
bridges formation between particles and pores frequently. The hot ECAPed Al powder sample shows
higher hardness and density compared to the room temperature ECAPed sample arising from the
temperature and pressure are the significant parameters relating to compacting the two particles. The
compaction of particles takes place at temperature (400oC) lower than the conventional sintering
temperature without affecting the grain refinement achieved due to ECAP because the elliptical voids
decrease the distance between the surfaces and aid for easy diffusion and hence the densification.
Also, the deformed surface is a virgin in nature without any possible oxide layer or contaminations
which also helps for efficient mass transfer due to diffusion. Thermodynamically the Gibbs free
energy (∆G*) is high due to high entropy in the ECAPed material and it is in unstable state [12]. The
system will tend to move to its lower free energy state when it is exposed to conditions which aid for
diffusion. The difference in the free energy assists for faster diffusion. Hence, the densification can be
obtained relatively at lower temperatures than the conventional sintering conditions. This is achieved
by the simultaneous application of heat and pressure. The densification works through particle
rearrangement and plastic flow at the particle contacts. In addition elevated temperatures increase
diffusion which can remove chemical inhomogeneities and also pores may reduce in size or close
completely during deformation.

120
100
Stress (MPa)

80
60
40
20
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06
Strain
Micro Powders Hot ECAP - 1 Pass
Micro Powders Room Temperature ECAP - 1 Pass

Figure 3. Stress vs strain curves for different conditions

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ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

a b

25µm 25µm

Figure 4. Optical micrographs of (a) ambient temperature ECAP-1P (b) hot ECAP-1P

Table 1. Physical and mechanical properties of Al compacts

Relative
Density Hardness UTS Elongation
Sample Density
(g/cc) (HRB) (MPa) (%)
(%)

Room temperature
2.60 97.5 - 45 3.5
ECAP-1P

Hot ECAP-1P 2.63 99.0 42 98 5.5

a b

Figure 5. Fractured tensile specimen of (a) ambient temperature ECAP-1P (b) hot ECAP-1P

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ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

(a) (b)

200µm 200µm

Figure 6. Fracture surfaces of (a) ambient temperature ECAP-1P (b) hot ECAP-1P

Figure 3 shows a tensile test curve of ECAPed specimen following the first pass. Both room temp
ECAP and hot ECAPed specimens show ductility (3.5 and 5.5%, respectively, measured from the
gauge length of the specimens) and ultimate tensile strength (45 and 98 MPa, respectively). Though
the polished surfaces of the specimens reveal very little evidence of porosity (Figure 4), microscopic
voids may still act for reduction of the yield strengths and ductility of the ECAPed samples. The
fractured surfaces are analysed under naked eye and SEM. Figure 5 shows fractured compacts of the
samples, failure is clearly in the gauge length of the specimen and its failure as shear-induced.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the fracture surfaces of the ECAPed specimen
strained to failure depicted in figure 6, in which the surface of hot ECAPed extrusion shows (Figure 6
(b)) evidence of ductile tearing.

4. Conclusions
Commercial pure aluminum particles were consolidated successfully and achieved metallurgical
bonding using hot equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). Also this process exhibited the best
combination of yield strength and ductility compared to room temp ECAP and hence hot ECAP is
suitable method for consolidation of micro powders.

5. References
[1] Mani B, Jahedi M and Paydar M H 2012 Consolidation of commercial pure aluminum powder by
torsional equal channel angular pressing (T-ECAP) at room temperature Powder technol. 219 1-8
[2] Kumar S R, Gudimetla K, Venkatachalam P, Ravisankar B and Jayasankar K 2012 Microstructural
and mechanical properties of Al 7075 alloy processed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing Mater.
Sci. Eng. A 533 50-54
[3] Kumar S R, Gudimetla K, Tejaswi B and Ravisankar B 2017 Effect of Microstructure and
Mechanical Properties of Al–Mg Alloy Processed by ECAP at Room Temperature and Cryo
Temperature Trans. Indian Inst. Met. 70 639-648
[4] Yarra R, Venkatachalam P, Kumar S R, Ravisankar B, Jayasankar K and Mukherjee P S 2010
Densification of Al-Y2O3 composite powder by equal channel angular pressing Trans. Indian Inst.
Met. 63 813-817
[5] Rezaei M R, Razavi S H and Shabestari S G 2016 Development of a novel Al–Cu–Ti metallic
glass reinforced Al matrix composite consolidated through equal channel angular pressing
(ECAP) J. Alloys Compd. 673 17-27
[6] Gudimetla K, Kumar S R, Ravisankar B and Kumaran S 2015 Densification of Al 5083
Mechanically Alloyed Powder by Equal Channel Angular Pressing Trans. Indian Inst. Met. 68 171-
176

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ICRAMMCE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 330 (2018) 012031 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/330/1/012031
1234567890‘’“”

[7] Gudimetla K, Jampana G V, Kumar S R, Ravisankar B and Kumaran S 2015 Effect of Equal
Channel Angular Pressing on Densification Behavior of Al 5083 Alloy Powder Mater. Sci. Forum
830 63-66
[8] Kondaiah G, Sekhar K C, Chaithanyakrushna B, Ravisankar B and Kumaran S 2015
Characterization of Mechanically Alloyed Al5083 Alloy and Composite and Consolidation by
Equal Channel Angular Pressing Appl. Mech. Mater. 764 23-27
[9] Gudimetla K, Chaithanyakrushna B, Sekhar K C, Ravisankar B and Kumaran S 2014 Densification
and Consolidation of Al 5083 Alloy Powder by Equal Channel Angular Pressing Appl. Mech.
Mater. 592 112-116
[10] Lapovok R, Tomus D and Muddle B C 2008 Low-temperature compaction of Ti–6Al–4V powder
using equal channel angular extrusion with back pressure Mater. Sci. Eng. A 490 171-180.
[11] Kollo L, Kallip K, Gomon J K and Kommel L 2012 Hot consolidation of aluminum and
aluminum nano-MMC powders by equal channel angular pressing Mater. Sci. 18 234-237
[12] Ghadimi S, Sedighi M, Djavanroodi F and Asgari A 2015 Experimental and Numerical
Investigation of a Cu–Al Bimetallic Tube Produced by ECAP Mater. Manuf. Processes 30 1256-
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