An examination of microstructural evolution in a Pb–Sn eutectic alloy processed by high-pressure torsion and subsequent self-annealing

Abstract

Abstract The Pb–Sn alloy has a wide use in the electronic, energy storage and nuclear industries and a fine-grained Pb–Sn alloy may open up new possibilities for applications in these industries. In order to understand the behavior of grain refinement, a Pb-62% Sn eutectic alloy was processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT), stored at room temperature (RT) and then the microstructures of the alloy after HPT were repeatedly investigated during the course of self-annealing using electron backscatter diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that there is a large fraction of twin boundaries with a twin relationship of 62.8° in the microstructure of the initial as-cast condition. Due to the presence of the high imposed pressure, the mobility of Ʃ21 boundaries at 71° is greatly favoured during processing by HPT. After the high pressure is removed, the mobility of dislocation-twin boundaries near 62.8° is then favoured. Processing by HPT significantly increases the solubility of Sn in the Pb phase. The supersaturated state of Sn in Pb is not stable during self-annealing at RT and instead a decomposition of Sn from the Pb-rich phase is observed after storage for 16 days. The main mechanism for this decomposition is lattice diffusion.