Effect of annealing on the structure and phase composition of Al-Cu laminated metal-matrix composites produced by shear deformation under pressure

This paper presents the data from the study on the effect of annealing of Al-Cu metal-matrix composites, produced by severe plastic deformation via shear under pressure. Three-layer compositions with different alternations of layers (Al-Cu-Al and Cu-Al-Cu) were subjected to deformation by high-pressure torsion, and then annealed at a temperature of 450 °C for 15 minutes. Using X-ray phase analysis and energy-dispersive analysis, we revealed the formation of the Al2Cu, AlCu and Al4Cu9 intermetallic compounds, surrounded by solid solutions of Al in Cu and Cu in Al. Their fraction and distribution in the volume depend on the way of stacking of the layer components. The produced microstructure is an "in situ" composite formed in the process of deformation and annealing.