Microstructure and mechanical properties of pure gold processed by equal channel angular pressing

The microstructure and mechanical properties of pure gold were examined after different number of equal channel angular pressing passes. The hardness and 0.2% proof stress from the compression tests were observed to increase only up to the fourth pass whereas the compressive strength at 40% strain kept increasing gradually with increasing the number of passes. Microstructure with low angle grain boundaries and shear bands were observed until the eighth pass and equiaxed grains with high angle grain boundaries were observed only after the twelfth pass.