Analysis of dislocation density in metallic materials has been pursued with great interest for many years because dislocations are closely associated with plastic deformation and thus exert a deep effect on the mechanical properties of any material. Crystallographic texture has also a decisive influence in some properties. In this work, the dislocation density was estimated from the line broadening of X-ray diffractograms using the Convolutional Multiple Whole Profile Program (CMWP) and crystallographic texture analyses were performed using inverse pole figures (IPF). The material used in this research was pure copper deformed by cold rolling and Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP). The dislocation density values obtained by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were compared and discussed. While, in the case of cold rolling, the crystallographic texture of the material was enhanced with increasing deformation, it was reduced with increasing deformation in the case of ECAP processing.

In some types of surgical implants, such as bone screws and plates, Grade 2 Ti is seriously considered as a replacement for the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Advantages are lower cost and the absence of Al and V, which have been identified as potentially harmful to human health. The present paper shows that the lower strength of the commercially pure metal can be enhanced by Severe Plastic Deformation followed by conventional cold rolling, so as to reach a strength level higher than the technical requirements applicable to the alloy. This was ascertained by tensile and Vickers hardness tests from which it was concluded that the best combination of properties are obtained by submitting the metal to Equal Channel Angular Pressing (four passes at 300 °C) followed by a 70% thickness reduction by cold rolling. Although the present results are valid for the material only, and not for the product considered, that is, bone screws, it appears that this solution is a step towards the replacement of the Ti6-4 alloy by Grade 2 Ti, at least for some types of metallic medical implants.

As a technique, Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) is simple and inexpensive. However, if die manufacture and operational details are not carefully planned and implemented, difficulties arise, which can interfere with the product characteristics and the pressing operation itself. The present paper offers guidelines on die design and manufacture, emphasizing geometry, material and heat treatment. Further, operational parameters such as lubrication, pressing temperature, deformation routes, die closure procedure and the influence of channel cross section on maximum acceptable load are described. Additionally, the effects of those variables on the product characteristics (deformation level and homogeneity) and integrity, plus process control and safety, are discussed.

The tensile strength of metals and alloys can be considerably increased by severe plastic deformation, a consequence of the extreme grain refinement thus achieved. In the present work the deformation was performed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing and the material was an Al-4% Cu alloy. Characterization included tensile tests, and microstructural observation by optical and transmission electron microscopy. After four passes, the yield strength showed an increase of 310% over the undeformed alloy, a figure reduced to 160% by a 250 °C / 1 hour post - deformation anneal. Additionally, the alloy displayed a very low work hardening capacity, especially after the annealing heat treatment. After four deformation passes the grain size of the annealed specimens was estimated to be close to 500 nm. The tensile behaviour and the absence of work hardening were discussed in terms of the fine microstructure.

Creep results on 2.25Cr-1Mo were obtained at 600 °C, 650 °C and 700 °C at five stress levels, under constant load, in air and vacuum. Two chambers were specially developed for carrying out creep testing in controlled environment, with the possibility of accommodating inside them the load train, the extensometry system and the thermocouples. The creep machines used in this project present the advantage of allowing the performance of both constant load or constant stress creep testing, using interchangeable profiles. The preliminary set of constant load data reported here was analyzed according to the conventional methodology of creep data analysis, with the identification of parameters of the Norton, Arrhenius, Monkman-Grant and some extrapolation relations involving stress, temperature, minimum creep rate and rupture time. The results indicate a strong effect of the oxidation phenomenon on the creep behavior of this steel. The data were consistent and meaningful so that the developed chambers can be considered to present good performance in the generation of creep data in vacuum.