The influence of stacking fault energy on mechanical properties of Cu-Al-Zn alloys processed by surface mechanical attrition treatment

Abstract

Cu-5.5Al-4.5Zn, Cu-1.9Al-23.9Zn and Cu-1.1Al-2.6Zn (in wt%) alloys with different stacking fault energy (SFE) were prepared by means of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). Subsequently, gradient structure (GS) was generated in the Cu-Al-Zn alloys, which significantly improved the mechanical properties of the alloys. The influence of SFE on mechanical properties was systematically investigated. The strength of the annealed Cu-Al-Zn alloys increased with the decrease of SFE. The uniform elongation (UE) did not decline with increasing SMAT time in the Cu-5.5Al-4.5Zn alloy. Our results indicate an exceptional combination of high strength and ductility in the Cu-5.5Al-4.5Zn (lowest SFE) alloy processed by SMAT.