Hot deformation behaviors and processing maps of B₄C/Al6061 neutron absorber composites

In this study, the hot deformation behaviors of 30 wt.% B₄C/Al6061 neutron absorber composites (NACs) have been investigated by conducting isothermal compression tests at temperatures ranging from 653 K to 803 K and strain rates from 0.01 to 10 s^− 1. It was found that, during hot compression, the B₄C/Al6061 NACs exhibited a steady flow characteristic which can be expressed by the Zener-Hollomon parameter as a hyperbolic-sine function of flow stress. High average activation energy (185.62 kJ/mol) of B₄C/Al6061 NACs is noted in current study owing to the high content of B₄C particle. The optimum hot working conditions for B₄C/Al6061 NACs are found to be 760–803 K/0.01–0.05 s^− 1 based on processing map and microstructure evolution. Typical material instabilities are thought to be attributed to void formation, adiabatic shear bands (ASB), particle debonding, and matrix cracking. Finally, the effect of the plastic deformation zones (PDZs) on the microstructure evolution in this 30 wt.% B₄C/Al6061 composite is found to be very important.