Rate-controlling processes in creep of subgrain containing aluminum materials

The creep behavior of aluminum alloys containing Bi, Zn, Ge, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ti has been investigated. Aluminum containing solutes that diffused faster than aluminum has faster creep rates and lower activation energies for creep than observed in pure aluminum. Solutes that diffused slower than aluminum have slower creep rates and higher activation energies for creep than observed in pure aluminum. A dislocation climb model in the subgrain boundary that involves solute atom diffusion as the rate-controlling creep process is proposed to explain the results.