High-Pressure Torsion and Phase Transformations in Alloy Systems
Summary
High-pressure torsion (HPT) is a severe plastic deformation technique that imposes intense shear strain under quasi-hydrostatic pressures to refine grain structure and induce non-equilibrium phases in metallic alloys. By combining pressures in the gigapascal range with rotational deformation, HPT generates ultrafine-grained or nanocrystalline architectures, elevates defect densities and promotes a range of pressure-activated phase transformations. Allotropic transitions, such as the α→ω transformation in titanium and its alloys, can be stabilised at ambient conditions upon decompression, while solid-solution enrichment and unexpected intermetallics may form in binary systems. Such transformations can be tailored by pre-annealing, alloy composition and post-deformation heat treatments to tune hardness, elastic modulus and thermal stability. The capability to access metastable microstructures underlines HPT’s global significance for advanced structural materials in aerospace, biomedical and energy applications, enabling resource-efficient design of high-strength, high-temperature and corrosion-resistant components.
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High-Pressure Torsion and Phase Transformations in Alloy Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in high-pressure torsion and phase transformations in alloy systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
High-pressure torsion (HPT): A severe plastic deformation method combining compressive loads and torsional strain to refine grains and induce phase changes.
Severe plastic deformation (SPD): Techniques applying large strains to metals to produce ultrafine or nanocrystalline structures without significant change of overall dimensions.
Ultrafine-grained structure: A microstructure with grain sizes typically below one micrometre, achieved through processes such as HPT or equal-channel angular pressing.
ω-phase: A high-pressure hexagonal phase observed in group IV transition metals and alloys, often retained metastably after decompression.
Supersaturated solid solution: A non-equilibrium alloy state in which solute concentration exceeds the equilibrium solubility limit, stabilised by deformation or rapid cooling.
References
- Severe Plastic Deformation and Phase Transformations in High Entropy Alloys: A Review. Crystals (2021).
- Formation and Thermal Stability of ω-Ti(Fe) in α-Phase-Based Ti(Fe) Alloys. Metals (2020).
- The Enrichment of (Cu, Sn) Solid Solution Driven by High-Pressure Torsion. Crystals (2021).
- The α → ω Transformation in Titanium-Cobalt Alloys under High-Pressure Torsion. Metals (2017).
- Phase Composition, Nanohardness and Young’s Modulus in Ti-Fe Alloys after Heat Treatment and High Pressure Torsion. Metals (2021).
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