Microstructure evolution in age-hardenable aluminium alloy during processing by hydrostatic extrusion

In the present work, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the microstructural evolution occurring during the hydrostatic extrusion of an age-hardenable aluminium alloy. It was shown that processing by hydrostatic extrusion leads to grain refinement to 95 nm in equivalent diameter. Hydrostatic extrusion also influences the geometrical parameters of two different types of particle: intermetallic inclusions and precipitates. The intermetallic inclusions slightly decrease in mean equivalent diameter, but their size remains at the micrometre level. The precipitates are fragmented to nanoscale spherical particles, and their evolution delays the process of grain refinement.