Abstract
The mechanical behavior of nanostructured bulk aluminum samples processed by means of ball milling and hot consolidation was investigated at various temperatures. Stress-Strain Microprobe system and its Automated Ball Indentation (ABI ) test were used for non-destructive determination of the mechanical properties of nanostructured Al samples under various variables. High purity aluminum was processed by means of ball milling for 6 hours and ball to powders weight ratios (BPR) of 30:1 and 90:1. The sintered bulk Al samples were subjected to ABI tests at room temperature, 200 °C and 400 °C to investigate the effect of BPR and test temperature on the mechanical behavior of these samples. Aluminum samples (C90-RT) which were ball milled using high BPR of 90:1 and tested at room temperature displayed the greatest values of final indentation load (303; 10 N); YS (228 9 MPa); UTS (394 11 MPa) and ABI hardness value of 113 4, as compared to all samples under examination. On the other hand, the samples tested at 400 °C (C90-400 sample) revealed the least values of final indentation load (156 4 N); YS (113 1 MPa); UTS (220 4 MPa) and ABI hardness value of 61.