In this study, microstructural features direct metal laser melted (DMLM) aluminium-silicon-magnesium (AlSi10Mg) are investigated using advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). The focus is on post-processing by ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) and its effects on grain refinement, stacking fault formation and dislocation accumulation. In addition, the strength enhancing role of stacking faults is for the first time quantified. The results show that ECAP can increase the yield strength from 294 to 396 MPa, while the elongation increases from 2.4% to 6%. These results show that ECAP processing offers a new approach for producing AlSi10Mg products with improved strength and ductility.

Department of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials Silesian University of Technology 18A Konarskiego Street 44 100 Gliwice Poland

Department of Metal Working and Physical Metallurgy of Non Ferrous Metals Faculty of Non Ferrous Metals AGH University of Science and Technology Al Mickiewicza 30 30 059 Kraków Poland

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering VSB TU Ostrava 17 Listopadu 2172 15 708 00 Ostrava Poruba Czech Republic

Institute of Solid Mechanics Mechatronics and Biomechanics Brno University of Technology Technická 2896 2 616 69 Brno Czech Republic

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Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 18;13(1):17756. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-44625-2. PubMed

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