Mechanical properties and microstructure of cast oxide-dispersion-strengthened aluminum

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened aluminum containing 25 vol.%, 0.28 μm, alumina dispersoids was fabricated by pressure infiltration. The mechanical properties at room and elevated temperature are presented for both as-cast, coarse-grained materials and extruded, fine-grained materials. Although the room temperature yield strength is low (about 60 MPa), the 0.2% proof stress and ultimate tensile stress are much higher (about 200 MPa and 330 MPa respectively) as a result of the very high strain hardening rate. However, the initially high strain hardening rate decreases with strain. This behavior is explained by extending a model by Ashby for dilute dispersion-strengthened metals to the case of a matrix containing a large volume fraction of large particles, whereby the interaction of primary glide dislocations with secondary loops punched by dispersoids is considered.