Abstract
The influence of processing variables on the mechanical properties of a nanostructured Al-10wt.%Cu alloy was investigated. Stress-strain microprobe (R) system (SSM) and its automated ball indentation (R) (ABI (R)) test were used for evaluating the mechanical properties of this alloy. The tests were conducted at 21 degrees C on the bulk samples that were mechanically alloyed for 6 h at two ball-to-powder mass ratios (BPR) of 30:1 and 90:1. Furthermore, the tests were conducted at 200 and 400 degrees C on the samples that were processed at BPR of 90:1. Increasing BPR resulted in raising the final indentation load from (316 +/- 26) to (631 +/- 9) N and reducing the final indentation depth from 111 to 103 mu m. Regarding the samples that were processed at BPR of 90: 1, increasing the test temperature from 21 to 400 degrees C resulted in decreasing the final load from (631 +/- 9) to (125 +/- 1) N and increasing the final depth from 103 to (116 +/- 1) mu m. The sample processed at BPR of 90:1 and tested at 21 degrees C revealed the highest strength and the least deformability while the sample processed at BPR of 90:1 and tested at 400 degrees C exhibited the lowest strength and the greatest deformability, as compared to all samples under study.