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 and Jian Lu ()
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Ge Wu: City University of Hong Kong
Chang Liu: City University of Hong Kong
Ligang Sun: Harbin Institute of Technology
Qing Wang: City University of Hong Kong
Baoan Sun: Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bin Han: City University of Hong Kong
Ji-Jung Kai: City University of Hong Kong
Junhua Luan: City University of Hong Kong
Chain Tsuan Liu: City University of Hong Kong
Ke Cao: City University of Hong Kong
Yang Lu: City University of Hong Kong
Lizi Cheng: City University of Hong Kong
Jian Lu: City University of Hong Kong

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13087-4

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