ECAP Technique Theoretical and applicative aspects

This article deals with a particular technique of severe plastic deformation (also known as SPD for Severe Plastic Deformation) called ECAP (Equal-Channel Angular Pressing). It is well known that shaping operations using moderate plastic deformation are accompanied by microstructural refinement beneficial to the polycrystalline material, in the sense that they improve several of its properties (mechanical, electrical, magnetic, etc.). The so-called severe deformation methods proposed in the early 1970s for ECAP have achieved a degree of granular refinement unmatched by conventional plastic deformation, hence the scientific community's enthusiasm for these highly promising SPD techniques.

In the following, ultra-fine-grained and nanostructured metallic materials (pure metals or alloys) are presented, along with the limitations of conventional plastic deformation processes. Then, the ECAP technique and some experimental aspects are detailed. The microstructures produced and the effects of post-ECAP annealing are also described. Modeling and simulation of behavior (microstructure, texture and mechanical response) during and/or after ECAP are presented. The factors influencing the properties of ECAP-hyperdeformed materials are described. Finally, the safety of the ECAP experimental set-up, the advantages of this technique, as well as the applications of ECAP materials and the implementation of ECAP on an industrial scale, are discussed.

For further information and details, the reader is invited to read specialized journal articles on hyperdeformation techniques in general and the ECAP technique in particular, as well as the proceedings of congresses and conferences dedicated to this field. All these works are listed in the documentation section of this article.

At the end of the article, readers will find a glossary and a list of acronyms.