Decoupling electroplasticity by temporal coordination design of pulse current loading and straining

Abstract

Multi-mechanism coupled electroplasticity (EP) has not been fully elucidated yet due to the difficulty in eliminating thermal effect, although isothermal, air-cooled, and cryogenic methods are usually used, there are different heating histories from electrically-assisted deformation. The 0–7% pre-strained Ti–6Al–4V alloy is taken as the case material. Based on the two different characteristics of the time-accumulation of thermal effect and the instantaneous nature of the athermal effect, a comparative study is conducted by designing two temporal coordination methods of pulse current and straining, viz., asynchronous loading with high-energy current (ALHC) and synchronous loading with low-energy current (SLLC), where the thermal and athermal effects are highlighted by different loading times, loading and unloading moments of pulse current of different magnitudes. Under ALHC condition, the decreasing yield strength and increasing elongation of the 7% pre-deformed material are observed with increasing current density and loading times, and stress reduction up to 20.7% for yield strength and ductility recovery of maximal 99.1% for elongation are obtained for 14.0 A/mm2 and loading three times. Moreover, stage B of the work hardening rate related to dislocation de-pinning disappears, and the TEM shows an annealing effect that the tangled dislocations are annihilated and rearranged by climbing. Thus, the Joule heat-based thermal effect dominates this condition. Under SLLC condition, the loading and unloading of pulse current of 2.81 A/mm2 in the plastic stage result in an instantaneous drop and rebound in flow stress and work hardening rate (stage B exists), respectively, and are accompanied by the negligible instantaneous temperature rise, while loading at the elastic stage, the overall flow stress and work hardening rate is decreased. It is concluded that the athermal effect can lower the dislocation phonon drag effect and the deformation activation energy, and change the athermal atomic state and dislocation slip mode, which dominates the varied flow stress and elongation. A dislocation dynamics-based physical model is developed by taking into account phonon drag, diffusion activation energy, and deformation activation energy to account for the thermal and athermal effects on dislocations, providing a self-consistent explanation of the above behaviors and mechanisms of the flow stress and ductility under ALHC and SLLC conditions.