The effect of grain size on the mechanical properties of aluminum

Although many studies have focused on the unique plastic deformation behavior of nanocrystalline aluminum (e.g., the positive deviation from Hall-Petch relation, the unusual yield-drop phenomenon in tensile mode, etc.), the data reported by different research groups are inconsistent with each other, possibly because of different fabrication processes. In this study, aluminum samples with a wide grain-size spectrum - from a few micrometers down to 100 nanometers - are manufactured by powder metallurgy. The grain size was measured by X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscope observation. Furthermore, the tensile behavior, which varied according to a grain size, is discussed with a comparison of the theoretical models.