Mechanical properties of copper processed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing – a review

The Equal Channel Angular Pressing is a hardening treatment with which ductile metals can be processed to refine their grain and sub-grain structure. This process enhances the mechanical strength of metals in terms of tensile strength, stress-controlled fatigue strength, and fatigue crack growth resistance. In this paper the authors draw a review of the major results of a wide research activity they carried out on a copper microstructure processed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing. The essential results are that tensile and fatigue strengths of the so obtained refined structure are improved by a factor of two with respect to the original coarse-grained metal. The fatigue crack initiation mechanism and the stability of the refined microstructure under cyclic loading are topics also discussed, evidencing the essential role of the process and of the material parameter, as the content of impurities in the microstructure. In this review, the authors also underline some critical aspects that have to be more investigated.