Characterization of creep properties and creep textures in pure aluminum processed by equal-channel angular pressing

High-purity aluminum was processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and then tested under creep conditions at 473 K. The results show conventional power-law creep with a stress exponent of n = 5 which is consistent with an intragranular dislocation process involving the glide and climb of dislocations. It is demonstrated that diffusion creep is not important in these tests because the ultrafine grains produced by ECAP are not stable at this temperature. Texture measurements were undertaken using the high-pressure preferred orientation neutron time-of-flight diffractometer and they reveal significant differences in the evolution of texture during creep in pressed and unpressed specimens. These experimental measurements of texture are in excellent agreement with theoretical textures predicted using a visco-plastic self-consistent model that limits deformation to plastic slip. The calculations provide additional confirmation that creep occurs through an intragranular dislocation process.