Hierarchical nanostructured aluminum alloy with ultrahigh strength and large plasticity

Ge Wu, Chang Liu, Ligang Sun, Qing Wang, Baoan Sun, Bin Han, Ji-Jung Kai, Junhua Luan, Chain Tsuan Liu, Ke Cao, Yang Lu, Lizi Cheng, Jian Lu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

142 Citations (Scopus)
76 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

High strength and high ductility are often mutually exclusive properties for structural metallic materials. This is particularly important for aluminum (Al)-based alloys which are widely commercially employed. Here, we introduce a hierarchical nanostructured Al alloy with a structure of Al nanograins surrounded by nano-sized metallic glass (MG) shells. It achieves an ultrahigh yield strength of 1.2 GPa in tension (1.7 GPa in compression) along with 15% plasticity in tension (over 70% in compression). The nano-sized MG phase facilitates such ultrahigh strength by impeding dislocation gliding from one nanograin to another, while continuous generation-movement-annihilation of dislocations in the Al nanograins and the flow behavior of the nano-sized MG phase result in increased plasticity. This plastic deformation mechanism is also an efficient way to decrease grain size to sub-10 nm size for low melting temperature metals like Al, making this structural design one solution to the strength-plasticity trade-off.
Original languageEnglish
Article number5099
JournalNature Communications
Volume10
Online published8 Nov 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Research Keywords

  • BULK METALLIC GLASSES
  • MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS
  • CRYSTALLIZATION BEHAVIOR
  • AL
  • DEFORMATION
  • SIZE
  • NI
  • TRANSITION
  • COMPOSITES
  • DUCTILITY

Publisher's Copyright Statement

  • This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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