Influence of deformation variables on the formation of copper-type shear bands in Al–1Mg

Abstract The formation of copper-type or grain-scale shear bands in Al–1Mg during plane strain compression (PSC) is described as a function of strain, strain rate and deformation temperature. Shear banding is observed to decrease dramatically in strength over a small range of the Zener–Hollomon parameter ( Z ) at Z approximately equal to 1.0×10 14 s −1 . This sharp transition in shear band formation is seen to correlate exactly with a sharp increase in dynamic recovery during deformation, as inferred from flow stress measurements, hardness measurements and microstructural analysis of as-deformed specimens. The observed correlation of shear band formation and dynamic recovery during deformation provides further insight into the basic mechanisms of shear band formation. The influence of shear bands on deformation texture is also investigated and is seen to affect the relative intensities of, and precise position along, the β-fibre.